Spaying Female Cats
There are many reasons for spaying female cats at a specialized spay clinic. In Squamish, our Garibaldi Veterinary Hospital can care for your pet and spay needs. Spay surgery can be done at our clinic. The cost to have everything done varies depending on the age and vaccine status of your pet. Please contact our Veterinarian to discuss a treatment plan and the spay procedure in detail. We are also available by phone at 604-898-9089 to schedule this appointment.
When spaying a female cat, not only does the procedure help control the population but also helps to reduce the risk of certain medical problems and eliminates unpleasant behaviors. Female cats that are not spayed will regularly come into heat or estrus after reaching sexual maturity. Heats can literally last for weeks in cats and female cats in heat are extremely unpleasant to be around. They become very vocal and demonstrate a strong desire to breed. Male cats will be attracted from miles around to breed with a female in heat.
Female cats that undergo even one heat period are at greater risk of mammary gland tumors even after they are spayed. These tumors are often extremely malignant. Unsprayed females are also at risk to other serious medical diseases including infections of the uterus (pyometra) and cancers of the uterus and ovaries.
For the above reasons the spaying of female cats at 6-7 months of age must be considered routine other than for those few cats intended for breeding purposes.
The myths about letting a cat have one heat or one litter to ‘calm it down’ before it is spayed is indeed a myth. This has noeffect on the animal’s behaviour and just leaves it more prone to serious medical problems.
In summary, spaying female cats at 5-7 months or have reached appropriate weight of 1 kg. (2.2 lbs or larger) before they reach sexual maturity reduces the incidence of deadly diseases and reduces the risk of several unwanted behaviors. It also prevents the birth of homeless kittens. Anyone wanting to witness the miracle of birth should rent a video. Visit the local shelter and see the numerous homeless pets before you contemplate letting your cat breed. Allowing your cat to breed is irresponsible unless you are a professional breeder. Otherwise you are just contributing to the population of homeless kittens and putting your pet at risk for serious disease. Even if you manage to find homes for all the kittens, they are just taking potential homes of kittens already borne and at the SPCA shelter.
