| $ $ Cat Neuter: $145 - $300 | $ $ $ Cat Spay: $200 - $500 |
Spaying and neutering are both sterilization procedures for pets.
Spaying is done on female pets: the veterinarian removes the ovaries, uterus, and reproductive tract through a small incision in the abdomen.
Neutering is associated with male pets: the veterinarian removes the testicles of the animal with an incision near or in the scrotum, depending on the type of animal.
But why should you sterilize your cat? When should you do it? Is it safe? How much does it cost?
We’ll talk about these questions next.
Table of Contents
Should I Sterilize My Cat?
It might be scary to put your cat in surgery when you have a choice not to do it, but there are multiple benefits for you and your cat if you sterilize it, and the risks are generally minimal.
These are some of the most common benefits for your cat:
Reduces Stray Cat Population
You will help to reduce the population of stray cats and prevent them to live in unhealthy conditions in the streets.
Stray cats usually have very short and hard lives, either because of the risks they encounter or because they can end up being euthanized at local shelters.
Prevents Serious Diseases
Sterilization will help your cat to avoid several medical conditions that can seriously put him in danger.
Certain types of cancer and diseases such as Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) and Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV), as well as other viruses that can affect your cat’s health, can be prevented by spaying or neutering your cat.
Your Cat Will Stay Home
Your cat won’t need to leave the house to meet other cats, reducing the chances of getting lost and therefore decreasing the contact with stray cats and the diseases they might have.
No More Sexual Behaviors
Male cats have the urge to scent-mark what they consider is their territory, which in this case is your house!
They do this with their urine and the smell they left behind is, to say the least, quite intense and hard to eliminate, so this is without a doubt a great benefit for you and your home.
On the other hand, female cats howl and demand constant displays of affection when they are in heat, so sterilization will also reduce and even eliminate these kinds of behaviors.
When Should I Sterilize My Cat?
Veterinarians recommend having your cat sterilized after it has eight weeks of age.
Although there is no maximum age to do this procedure, the sooner the better, since older cats might have other health issues that could complicate surgery.
In both female and male cats, this procedure is fast, so the time they must be under anesthesia is normally less than an hour.
The recovery is also quick, and you only have to worry about keeping an eye on the stitches, to avoid unnecessary complications.
How Much Does It Cost?
The cost of sterilization will be determined by your cat’s gender and the medical facility where you decide to have the procedure done.
Female cats’ sterilization or spaying it’s normally more expensive than male neutering because it’s a longer and more complicated surgery.
It can cost from $200 to $500.
Male neutering is a fast procedure -less than 10 minutes-, so it costs between $145 to $300.
Low-Cost Sterilization Programs
There are numerous nonprofit organizations or community groups that associate with veterinarians to sterilize pets at local medical facilities or even mobile clinics.
The price of sterilizing cats with these groups should be considerably lower, and in some cases, it might even be free, so it could be a great way to help the community, your cat, and save money in the process.
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