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Neutering (spaying and castration) is one of the most common procedures we perform, and our skilled vets have neutered thousands of cats and kittens. Neutering has has lots of health and behavioural benefits, as well as protecting against unwanted litters.
We know that your cat didn't choose to come to the vets, and for some, having a day away from their safe home environment can be a little scary. We take care to make their visit as stress-free as possible and like to make sure that every cat who comes in gets the TLC that we would want for our own cats.
Should I get my cat or kitten neutered?
Unless you are a cat breeder, yes! We recommend neutering kittens at around 3.5 to 4 months old.
For male cats, neutering is called castration and involves removing the testicles. For female cats, it is called a spay and involves removing the ovaries.
Neutering at around 4 months helps prevent unwanted pregnancies before cats become sexually mature. It can also reduce some of the risks associated with mating and roaming.
For male cats, neutering can reduce:
fighting and bite wounds
the risk of catching infections such as FIV through fighting
urine spraying and strong-smelling urine
roaming in search of females
For female cats, neutering prevents unwanted pregnancies. There is no health benefit to allowing a female cat to have a litter before she is spayed.
If your cat is already older than 4 months, don’t worry - they can still be neutered.
What if my cat is in season?
Female cats can still be safely spayed while they are in season. There may be a slightly increased risk of bleeding because the reproductive organs have a greater blood supply at this time. However, we regularly spay cats while they are in season, particularly during spring and summer when some cats come into season repeatedly. It is still a routine procedure with a very low risk of complications.
What if my cat has recently had kittens?
If your cat has recently had kittens, we will usually wait until the kittens are weaned, her milk has dried up and her hormones have settled before spaying her.
For more information on the benefits of neutering and what the procedure entails, see the iCatCare website.
The Cat Population Control Group also gives plenty of evidence to back up the safety and importance of neutering 4 month old kittens.
What happens when I bring my cat for neutering?
Before the appointment
The day before your cat’s operation, we’ll send you a message with the important information you need to prepare for their visit. This will include instructions about when your cat can last eat, whether they should have any usual medication, and anything you may need to bring with you.
We’ll also send you an online consent form. Please read and approve this before your appointment so you have plenty of time to understand the procedure and ask us any questions.
Arriving at the clinic
On the morning of the operation, you’ll have an admit appointment between 8.30am - 9am. We’ll check that your cat is well, confirm the planned procedure and answer any last-minute questions. Please make sure the person bringing your cat knows about their health and medication and is able to discuss their treatment with us.
Your cat will then settle into their own kennel in our quiet, cat-only ward. Our veterinary team will check on them regularly throughout their stay.
The operation
Your cat will have a general anaesthetic for their operation and will be given pain relief.
For male cats, we remove the testicles through two very small openings in the scrotum. These usually heal without stitches.
For female cats, we remove the ovaries through a small incision, usually on the left side of the abdomen. The wound is closed with dissolvable stitches underneath the skin, so there are normally no stitches to remove.
Recovery and going home
Our nursing team will monitor your cat closely while they wake up from their anaesthetic.
Most cats go home later the same day. We will either arrange a collection time when you drop them off or contact you once they are awake and recovering well.
At the discharge appointment, one of our team will explain:
what to expect that evening
how to care for the wound
when and how to give any pain relief
what signs to look out for
when we would like to check them again
You can also read our aftercare instructions here:
Females - https://tinyurl.com/postspay
Males - https://tinyurl.com/postcastrate
How much does it cost?
At Manchester Cat Clinic, we aim to keep our pricing straightforward and transparent. Many of our procedures, including neutering, are fixed cost packages. The price is inclusive of the general anaesthetic, surgery, take-home pain relief, a buster collar (for female cats) and two free post-op checks.
Are there any risks?
Any general anaesthetic carries a small risk of complications. However, the risk in young healthy cats is incredibly small. At Manchester Cat Clinic, all cats undergoing anaesthetics are closely monitored by our highly skilled nursing team.
All surgery carries a small risk of complications such as infection or bleeding. It is also extremely rare to have surgical complications following a routine neutering surgery, especially with our very experienced and skilled surgeons. However, it is still important to monitor your cat following their surgery and inform us as soon as possible if you have any concerns. We will ask you to send us a photo of your cat's wound 3-5 days after their procedure, or come in for a free post-op check, so one of our clinical team can check their wound and make sure they are healing well.
How do I book in?
Speak to our reception team via email or telephone and they will arrange an appointment on a day that is convenient for you.
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