Spaying or neutering your cat is an important part of their health and will help prevent any unwanted behaviours, such as urine marking and roaming. Spaying or neutering will also prevent them from getting certain illnesses or diseases and accidental pregnancies that are contributing to the alarming increase of the stray cat population.
What is spaying and neutering?
Spaying and neutering is the surgical removal of your cat’s reproductive organs. For females, the uterus and ovaries are removed and for males, the testicles are removed.
When should I neuter/spay my cat?
We recommend getting your cat spayed or neutered between 5-6 months of age. With that said, there is no age limit, but getting it done sooner will help prevent all of the unwanted behaviours, illnesses/diseases, and accidental pregnancies associated with intact (not spayed or neutered) cats.
What is the procedure to spay/neuter a cat?
At Embrun Veterinary Hospital, we ask that you bring your cat fasted (no food after 10:00 pm) to our office first thing in the morning (between 7:30am-8:00am). One of our technicians will review the estimate with you and do a brief exam. Any bloodwork will be run before your cat is sedated. Next, one of our veterinarians will do a full examination and an anesthetic protocol will be developed for your cat. Next, we will administer the sedative; this just helps to reduce any stress that your cat may be feeling. The sedation also offers some pain relief.
Once the sedation takes effect, an intravenous catheter will be placed. From there, we give an induction drug which helps to ease them into the general anesthesia. A tube is placed directly into their trachea (called an endotracheal tube), which allows the anesthetic gas and oxygen to be delivered directly into their lungs. Once they have been shaved and prepped for surgery, the veterinarian will then remove the reproductive organs. Once completed, the veterinarian will suture the incision closed and your cat is woken up. They go home the same day, and until they are ready to go home, a technician will be monitoring them to ensure they recover from surgery smoothly. At the time of pick-up, a technician will review all of the post-surgery care requirements, as well as the pain medication(s) that we will be sending your cat home with.
Do you offer cat declawing?
No, we do not offer cat declawing (onychectomy) procedures. Declawing is a major surgery that involves the removal of the last bone in each toe. This procedure can lead to significant short- and long-term health and behavioral consequences for cats, including pain, mobility issues, and stress-related behaviors. Our team is happy to help your cat thrive while preserving their natural behaviors.