Spaying or neutering a cat has many benefits for the animal, beyond avoiding unwanted litters. Well, unwanted feline pregnancies are largely responsible for the abandonment of offspring and the proliferation of stray cats. In fact, the new Animal Welfare Law establishes the sterilization of kittens that transit outside your home as mandatory.
Other benefits of sterilization or castration –which are not the same– is that they reduce urine marking and aggressiveness in males, who also reduce the risk of suffering from testicular tumors. In females, it eliminates heat, reduces excessive meowing and prevents mammary or uterine tumors. Also, by not being carried away by the breeding instinct, the cat is less likely to try to escape or fight with others of its kind. In fact, this also reduces the risk of suffering from diseases such as leukemia or feline immunodeficiency, which are spread by scratches or bites from infected cats.
Despite this, many people are reluctant to spay or neuter their cats. This is so because there are many myths surrounding this procedure. Let’s see and disprove some of these false beliefs.
There is no scientific evidence to support this claim. In fact, having gone through a pregnancy and childbirth increases the risk of contracting breast, uterine or ovarian cancer in cats. So, the sooner you spay or neuter her, the sooner you will be reducing her probability of contracting any of these diseases.
Nothing is further from reality. These surgeries are performed in veterinary clinics on a regular basis. It is a simple and routine procedure, with small incisions – larger in the case of females – and a quick recovery. It is performed under anesthesia and lasts a short time. In addition, the following days the cat must take medication to combat any pain.
This is partly true and partly false. After the intervention, the males are calmer, less reactive and territorial, urination due to marking will be reduced, they do not feel the need to escape nor will they fight so much with other cats. In the case of females, they will stop meowing excessively during heat.
But the personality of the animal is not altered. If your kitten is affectionate, it will continue to be so, while if it has a certain tendency towards independence, disobedience, or mischief, sterilization or neutering will not solve these problems, but rather they must be tackled with their education.
The price of the intervention varies depending on the city where it is performed and the chosen clinic. But, in general, the price oscillates between around 50 euros for the male and between 100 and 300 for a female. This fee can be reduced if you have a health plan or insurance at your veterinary clinic.
