Lakeside Veterinary Center, LLC
(301)498-8387

Feline Neuters

Why should I fix my male cat if he is not broken?

• Cats that are not neutered are more prone to mark their territory with urine—both in and out of the house
• Male cats that are not neutered have an extreme odor to their urine.
• Cats that are not neutered will change in physical appearance from a delicate face and neck to a thick jowled face and thick neck.
• Cats that are not neutered are prone to fighting and getting hurt.  If they go outside, they are more prone to develop cat STDs like feline AIDS and feline leukemia virus.
• Male cats that are not neutered can get testicular tumors.
• Male cats that are not neutered and get outside will father many unwanted litters of kittens.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cat Neuters

1.    Why should neuters be performed before 6 months of age?

To prevent early age ‘spraying’ of cat urine to mark their territory and to prevent the above-mentioned change in appearance.

However, some cats retain baby teeth in their mouth past the point where adult teeth should have pushed them out.  At 5.5 to 6 months of age, we can determine if the teeth are retained and extract the retained baby teeth to prevent crowding and dental disease. 

2.    How long will my cat be in the hospital?

Surgeries are done on an outpatient basis.  Pets are dropped off between 7:30 and 9 am and discharged in the evening of the same day. Surgeries are admitted by appointment only.

3.    What do I need to do to prepare my cat for surgery?

Do not feed your cat after 10 pm the night before.  He can have water until he arrives at our facility.

4.    Will he be in pain?

 Before surgery, he will receive a pain medication and a mild tranquilizer.  After about 20 minutes, he will receive a general anesthetic (isoflurane) and be kept asleep with oxygen and isoflurane anesthetic gas.  Prior to surgical incision, local anesthesia is injected.  Most cats will receive and additional injection of pain medication once they are waking up from anesthesia.  All cats are monitored closely for comfort once they are recovered.  In the rare instance a cat seems to be in pain, additional medications are given to make them comfortable.

5.    What can I do to make it easier for him the day of surgery?

We have been using Laser surgery (instead of a scalpel blade) for over 12 years with great success.  The Laser reduces pain, swelling and bleeding as compared to a scalpel blade.  Use of Laser is an option provided to you. To learn more about Laser surgery click here.

6.    What are the risks of surgery and anesthesia? How can I reduce that risk?

The risks of surgery include bleeding and wound infection.  These risks are minimized for an experienced surgeon and our veterinary staff has over 30 years of experience with surgery.  The Laser reduces bleeding and sterilizes as it cuts; it is a great option to choose.

The risks of anesthesia include the development of abnormal heart rhythms, decreased blood pressure (may exacerbate kidney problems), and in very rare cases, death.  We are lucky to have had no anesthetic deaths in our canine or feline patients during elective neuters.  We offer to you a preoperative EKG (checks heart rhythm) and preoperative blood tests to check for anemia and kidney or liver disease.  These tests tell us if your pet is as healthy as possible to undergo elective surgery. Both the EKG and the blood tests are offered as an option to you.