A cat castrate is a routine procedure in the practice that involves the surgical removal of the testicles. When you first have a new cat and he’s “entire” (still has his testicles) this will be a common question asked by the veterinary team, are you thinking of having your cat castrated. It is encouraged for male cats to be castrated as it prevents them wondering looking for females. And it prevents unwanted litters of kittens, unless you intend on breeding with them. To us, it is a routine procedure, but as an owner, do you really know what to expect? Let’s have a look at what would happen on the day of the surgery.
Table of contents
Before the day
The first thing we need to consider is his details
Normally cats can be castrated from 4 months old and 2kg in weight, although some practices may differ with this. Another thing to consider is whether both testicles are present. We do need to know this when you book, as if they aren’t, the surgery is rather different. If you are unsure, always see if you can have a vet or nurse, check-up to see – fortunately, retained testicles are not very common in cats. It is actually more common for owners to present a cat of the wrong sex, so we are usually happy to check whether we should be booking him in for a castration or her in for a spay!
Pre-surgery preparations
When you book your appointment, you’ll be told or sent some pre-operative (before surgery) guidelines. These guidelines will usually tell you to starve your cat overnight. It’s normally 6 to 8 hours before surgery, but the easiest thing to do is generally to starve from 10pm at night. He should always be given access to water. It is also important that cats are kept indoors overnight, not only so we have them ready to take to the vets but also to stop them going and getting a midnight snack (!). We starve most animals before surgery to help prevent them vomiting during the anaesthetic.
As cats get quite stressed, it’s a good idea to get them used to the cat carrier. Leave their carrier out, feed them in it, hopefully if they get used to it they’ll then be less stressed on the day, plus it’s easier for us as owners to put them in it.
On the morning
The morning of the surgery you’ll attend an admit appointment which is normally with a veterinary nurse. During this appointment you’ll be asked some questions, see if you have any health concerns with your cat, see when he last ate, what or if he is on any medication. At this point if you have any questions or concerns about the procedure this is the time to ask if you haven’t already done so before. An important part of the admit is that you have to sign the consent form, consenting to the procedure and saying you understand the risks and benefits involved.
What happens next
Once you have said your goodbyes, your cat will then be taken through to a cattery which will be a nice quiet and calm environment. During this time, we will weigh him so we can make sure we are giving the correct dosage of drugs. A vet will also check his heart, chest and temperature, this ensures us that he is a good candidate for a general anaesthetic. If there are any issues, we will of course get back in touch with you at this point. Some practices will place an intravenous cannula in his front leg, so he will have a small shaved patch on the leg for this. This will be where the anaesthetic is given.
The surgery
For this procedure a full general anaesthetic is needed. Sedation is given before the anaesthetic and this normally includes pain relief. The actual procedure is normally quite quick; (perhaps 5 or 10 minutes – unlike in a spay, his reproductive organs are conveniently available on the outside). A small amount of hair will be shaved or plucked from the scrotum (the skin on the testicles). The skin is then cleaned with an antiseptic to prevent infection.
For the procedure both testicles are surgically removed. If your cat has a retained testicle, then this is another procedure. Assuming both testicles are where they are supposed to be, the skin is cut with a scalpel, and his testicles are quickly popped out, severed and tied off. The scrotum is usually not stitched up, as it heals very quickly and allows any fluid to drain.
He will probably be waking up in recovery within 10 or 15 minutes of going into theatre.
The aftercare
Once your cat is awake from surgery then a nurse will call you to let you know and arrange a time to collect him. Cats that have been castrated will have pain relief on board by injection. Some practices will send them home with painkillers for a few days, others will not, depending on how uncomfortable he seems on waking up.
He will have one or, more usually, two small wounds, however, you shouldn’t see any tissue though; you may see some swelling and the small incision. I find cats don’t tend to bother with their wounds, but always keep an eye on them, and always keep their collar on while the wound heals – usually after a few days the skin will have closed over and the swelling will be largely gone.
On discharge a nurse will talk you through this advice. With feeding we normally say after any anaesthetic to feed a bland meal that night. Something like chicken or tuna, we like to avoid rich foods to prevent them from being sick. When it comes to letting cats outside, it is advisable to keep them indoors for at least 48 hours after they have returned home. This is to make sure they are eating and that they have woken up full from the anaesthetic. The last thing we want is for them to go out and get into trouble. They will also advise you about any post-operative checks and the healing times, which may vary from practice to practice depending on the exact surgical technique used.
Conclusion
This is a routine procedure that is done every day. Having a cat castrated can prevent spraying and other behavioural problems. It also stops male cats from wandering. Male cats will wander far to find females on heat. It also prevents unwanted pregnancy. There are so many stray cats out there that castrating and spaying cats is ideal to prevent this. If you ever have any questions or concerns about the procedure always speak to your vet practice, they are there for help and advice.
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