The reproductive instinct is strong in domestic animals, as well as in those who live in natural conditions, and the animal, unlike humans, cannot control it. Therefore, if you are not going to engage in breeding, acquiring a cat in the house, you should immediately think about sterilizing it. It is especially important for a cat's health at what age it will be spayed.
What is the neutering of cats for?
Sterilization is an intracavitary operation to remove the ovaries, after which the cat is forever deprived of the opportunity to have offspring. It would seem that if the cat lives at home and does not go out, this operation could not be done. But this is not so - each animal's estrus, which occurs once every 3-4 months, will be accompanied by changes in its behavior. The cat may scream at night, or even start using your shoes and clothes instead of the usual litter box to signal its readiness for mating. She experiences physical discomfort at this time and tries to eliminate it by all available means.
Taking hormonal drugs that prevent ovulation in cats can provoke cystic and oncological diseases.
No one argues that sterilization is necessary, the question is when it is best to do it, since this is a violation of the hormonal background, which, of course, has a direct impact on the physical condition and health of the animal.
At what age to neuter a cat
In the West, there is a veterinary experience of neutering cats at the most "tender" age - at 7-8 weeks, even before the kitten enters puberty. The operation, which was performed at such an early age, reduces the likelihood of complications, and the postoperative sutures in this case heal faster. But a spayed cat has not yet had time to form, reach physical and sexual maturity before these irreversible hormonal changes were made. Since the process of development of the genitals is interrupted, this is reflected in the functions of the hypothalamus, which determines the behavioral reactions of the animal. Therefore, the cat's behavior can become unpredictable, and, in addition, hormonal disorders provoke a disruption in physical development. Such an animal may have a disproportionate structure - a too small head on an overly large body.
You can not sterilize the animal during estrus - the risk of complications is too great.
If a cat is sterilized after the first birth or at the age of 1, 5 or more years, the animal has an increased risk of developing breast cancer. If after the first birth this probability is 8%, after the second it increases to 26%. In the event that the cat is already old enough, sterilization will no longer have any warning effect. Most veterinarians are of the opinion that the most optimal period for neutering cats is before the first estrus. In this case, the risk of developing breast cancer is only 0.5%.
