How do vets neuter a male cat? Can you do it at home with some rubber bands? No, okay, seriously: What is involved with making it so a male cat won’t overpopulate the world with wee baby kittens?
Put away the rubber bands and the X-Acto knife. Although neutering a male cat is an almost absurdly simple procedure, this is still “don’t try this at home, kids” territory.
On the table
The folks over at The Pet Center have a pictorial, but if you’re the squeamish sort, I’ll just run through the steps and you can avoid the images.
First the cat is placed under anesthetic and he’s shaved from his bottom to the scrotum. An antiseptic is applied to the surgical area. Next, the skin of the scrotum is incised and the first testicle is exposed. The testicle is then removed from the scrotum and a suture is stitched around the spermatic cord. The testicle is then cut off and the cord placed back inside the scrotum. Repeat for the other one.
An anibiotic is then applied to the surgical area, and the skin of the scrotum closes up on its own, no stitches required (although some skin adhesive might be used). After some post-op rest and recovery — and usually an injection of pain meds that will last about three days — your little guy goes home later the same day and is usually back to his own self once the medication wears off entirely.
Post-op
It’s a good idea to keep an eye on the surgery site — make sure he’s not licking or biting at it. If he is, you’ll have to pick up the cone of shame — also known as an Elizabethan collar, so named for its resemblance to the ruffs worn in Elizabethan times. Your cat should also avoid vigorous exercise, jumping and running, and rough play for five days after surgery, and no baths for two weeks.
Snip snip
Put away the rubber bands and the X-Acto knife. Although neutering a male cat is an almost absurdly simple procedure, this is still “don’t try this at home, kids” territory.
On the table
The folks over at The Pet Center have a pictorial, but if you’re the squeamish sort, I’ll just run through the steps and you can avoid the images.
First the cat is placed under anesthetic and he’s shaved from his bottom to the scrotum. An antiseptic is applied to the surgical area. Next, the skin of the scrotum is incised and the first testicle is exposed. The testicle is then removed from the scrotum and a suture is stitched around the spermatic cord. The testicle is then cut off and the cord placed back inside the scrotum. Repeat for the other one.
An anibiotic is then applied to the surgical area, and the skin of the scrotum closes up on its own, no stitches required (although some skin adhesive might be used). After some post-op rest and recovery — and usually an injection of pain meds that will last about three days — your little guy goes home later the same day and is usually back to his own self once the medication wears off entirely.
Post-op
It’s a good idea to keep an eye on the surgery site — make sure he’s not licking or biting at it. If he is, you’ll have to pick up the cone of shame — also known as an Elizabethan collar, so named for its resemblance to the ruffs worn in Elizabethan times. Your cat should also avoid vigorous exercise, jumping and running, and rough play for five days after surgery, and no baths for two weeks.
Photo by Jeffrey Beall
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