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Big Day for Hopscotch and Marbles

Today was a big day for brother and sister Marbles and Hopscotch. ( Skittles is still a little under thrifty for an anesthetic)

They have have spent the morning in the vets having very important surgery.

They have both been neutered and despite them having moderate Cerebellar Hypoplasia this was uneventful and they are already heading back to the rescue.

Why you should spay or neuter your kitten

At around four to five months of age, kittens start to mature sexually and this is the recommended time at which you neuter them or spaying at it is called for female kittens. It’s worth noting that even 3-month-old kittens can mature sexually – the age at which they do can vary between breeds and a plethora of other factors.

Cats can be prolific breeders and with every pregnancy taking just nine weeks, if you leave your male or female kitten unneutered, you could significantly increase the huge number of unwanted cats and kitten that already exist in the UK

What happens during surgery?

For male kittens, the operation is quicker and less invasive but both procedures take place under a general anaesthetic. With male kittens, the testicles are removed, this is called castration. It removes the male hormone, testosterone. In female kittens, during the spaying process, the two ovaries and the uterus are taken away effectively preventing any pregnancies.

The kitten is usually pre-booked in at the veterinary surgery and dropped off in the morning with an empty tummy so no access to food overnight.

Most vets do their operations after morning surgery and the kitten then has the afternoon to recover in the hospital going home later on in the evening. Most kittens recover very quickly and with no ill effects.

Can older cats be neutered?

Cats can be spayed or castrated throughout their life if the need arises so, for example, a stray or feral cat which arrives at a rescue centre will always be neutered before being re-homed.

How much does it cost to get a kitten neutered or spayed?

There is often a distinction between the two types of operation as castration is quicker and simpler than spaying a female.

When you adopt from BCWR you will make a minimum ADOPTION DONATION of £75. This goes towards the costs of their vaccinations, neutering, microchipping, flea and worm treatment and general care whilst at the rescue.

There are vets who will offer a discounted rate for people taking on stray kittens; your local Cats Protection League might have a scheme where they give you a voucher towards the cost.

What are the other advantages of neutering?

Male kittens will start procreating (mating) pretty quickly. They are more aggressive and fierce and can be quite a nuisance in the local neighbourhood if they are not neutered.

They get into more fights resulting in injuries both for themselves and their opponents and they tend to roam more and are therefore more vulnerable to road traffic accidents.

Un neutered cats are also highly vulnerable to sexually transmissible diseases such as FeLV and FIV.

You might not be left holding the babies but your un-neutered male cat will certainly contribute to the local feline population.

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