Spay or Neuter your Cat for Long-Term Health Benefits

At the Chicago Cat Clinic, our veterinarians are honored to care for the unique and amazing cats in your life. Spaying and neutering cats is an important part of our approach to feline wellness care. Whether you have recently adopted an older cat or welcomed a new kitten into your family, spaying and neutering is beneficial to cats of all ages. Spaying and neutering reduces your cat’s risk for certain cancers, behavioral problems, reproductive diseases, and other health problems. Additionally, spaying and neutering is an important choice for our community at-large. By reducing the unwanted animal population, we give cats in Chicago animal shelters a better chance at being adopted by loving, forever families.

 When should I spay or neuter my cat?

 We recommend spaying or neutering your cat around 4 to 5 months of age.  Early-age spaying and neutering may prevent problem behaviors before they occur. If it hasn’t already been done, spaying or neutering should be considered for any pet with a behavior problem, regardless of age. For specific behaviors, such as urine spraying, surgery may reduce or eliminate the problem, even in older cats.

Why should I spay or neuter my cat?

Spaying and neutering cats provides many important health benefits. Spaying females before the first heat, for example, nearly eliminates the risk for breast cancer, which is one of the most fatal cancers affecting female cats. Spaying females also reduces the risk for reproductive health problems, such as pyometra, and improves a female’s overall quality of life. Neutering male cats eliminates the risk for testicular cancer. Neutering can also help control unwanted behaviors in both male and female cats including spraying urine to mark territory, aggressions toward other household members and pets, escaping behavior, etc. Some pet owners worry that neutering their cats will alter their personality. This could not be further from the truth! Neutering merely helps to redirect your cat’s attention back to the family, rather than on finding a mate. While your cat may be less aggressive or territorial, neutering is only redirecting his or her attention, not altering their personality.

What happens during the spay or neuter surgery?

Spaying is the surgical removal of a female cat’s ovaries and uterus, while neutering is the removal of a male cat’s testicles. While both operations are conducted routinely with few complications, only licensed veterinarians are allowed to perform them.

Prior to your surgery appointment, your veterinarian will complete a physical examination of your cat and draw a sample of their blood for analysis. To reduce pain and discomfort, both spaying and neutering are conducted while your cat is under general anesthesia.

Following surgery, your veterinarian will give you instructions on how to best care for your cat during recovery.  Appropriate pain medications will be sent home to make their recovery from surgery as smooth as possible.  Most cats are back to normal within a couple of days. The area that has been treated generally heals within two weeks and sutures are removed at your recheck appointment.

Will my cat get fat?

When it comes to weight gain, spaying and neutering will not cause your cat to become fat or lazy, as long as you continue to feed your cat a healthy, balanced diet and ensure your cat is stimulated through regular activity. However, it is important to note that a cat’s caloric need will decrease after the spay or neuter and adjustments may need to be made on quantity of food fed.

Why the Chicago Cat Clinic?

 At the Chicago Cat Clinic, our entire staff has dedicated their professional veterinary careers to caring exclusively for cats. This depth of experience and dedication ensures a higher quality of surgical care than what may be available through other general animal care hospitals. As a feline-only hospital, we provide a calm, stress-free environment for spay and neuter operations. Cats also benefit from our quiet recovery center that is free from barking, growling or other sounds that could intimidate our feline patients. This helps reduce the stress and anxiety associated with surgery.

Spay and neuter are routine surgical procedures that help cats live longer, healthier lives. As Chicago’s first, feline-only animal practice, our veterinary team is proud to continue a long tradition of excellence in feline care. This starts with the close relationships that we form with our feline patients and their caretakers. Our veterinarians are always happy to answer any questions that you may have about spay and neuter surgery, including what to expect before and after the procedure. To learn more and schedule an appointment, please contact us at 773-631-5300.