In 1960s, ASPCA initiated the action of free sterilization and subsidy for sterilization, which led a large number of humanitarian organizations in the United States to openly resist and prohibit the adoption of unsterilized stray animals.
In 1970s and 1980s, ASPCA in Maryland, USA took the lead in sterilizing young stray cats and dogs. In order to comply with the principle of "no stray cats and dogs can be adopted without sterilization", regardless of whether they reach the sterilization age, they are all sterilized.
That is, after the 1980s, pet sterilization began to become a hidden rule. Some veterinarians questioned this, but the group was too small to attract attention.
Should I be sterilized?
Let's first understand the estrus process of cats from an objective point of view.
The first estrus of cats is about 6~8 months, and the female cat is slightly earlier than the male cat. Individual differences are not excluded. Some cats are in estrus at 3 months old, and some cats may be in estrus at 12 months old.
Female cats estrus about three times a year, once in early spring, once in early summer and once in autumn, each estrus lasts for 2-4 days, and does not estrus when pregnant; The male cat will feel the sound and smell of the female cat in estrus and will follow it. When cats are in estrus, hormone secretion increases, leading to emotional mania. Running away from home and fighting are common.
Benefits of sterilization
1, reducing the risk of delivery.
Cats can also have dystocia, and the risks and probabilities are different according to different breeds. The average domestic cat is around 0.4%, and the dystocia rate of German curly cats can even reach an astonishing 42%. There may also be risks such as toxemia, diabetes, uterine torsion and rupture, and bacterial infection during pregnancy.
2. The probability of breast tumor decreased.
The probability of female cats suffering from breast tumors is about 25%, which is lower than that of dogs, but it is extremely dangerous for cats to suffer from breast tumors. Sterilization can effectively reduce the incidence. The risk of female cats being sterilized before the first estrus is reduced by 9 1%, and the risk of breast tumor is reduced by 86% for those who are sterilized before one year old. If an unsterilized middle-aged female cat has a strange breast lump, she needs to see a doctor immediately.
3, put an end to uterine empyema
Uterine empyema is due to the excessive stimulation of hormones in animals and the accumulation of pus in the reproductive system. It is more common in unsterilized old female cats, and the prevalence rate is about 7%. It can be treated surgically, and the risk depends on the time of discovery.
Step 4 Reduce behavioral problems
1. Sterilized cats will no longer be in heat and will not howl at midnight.
2. After sterilization, the cat's curiosity about the outside world will be reduced, and it will not try to sneak outside, effectively reducing the opportunity to go out.
3. Sterilization will make the cat's territorial consciousness less strong, and its personality will become calm and docile.
Control the number of stray cats in cities
The reason why it is marked in red is because the idea itself is wrong. It is put here to let everyone know that the number of stray cats in the city depends on the owner's responsibility for the cats themselves, not just scalpels.
Disadvantages of sterilization
Sterilization is not a good medicine, so it must be good. Sterilization also has many disadvantages.
1, operational risk
The operation itself is risky and depends on the clinical experience of the surgeon. Secondly, the incidence of surgical complications is about 2.6~20%, most of which are mild and do not need treatment. Be sure to find a good hospital!
2. Cancer risk
Some studies suggest that sterilization may cause prostate cancer and vascular cancer in dogs, but it does not mention cats, and of course it does not rule out the possibility of cats getting sick.
3, ligament, orthopedic diseases complicated with arthritis
Sterilization may increase the risk of arthritis and hip dysplasia, but the specific reason is obesity after sterilization or abnormal joint structure caused by sterilization. At present, there is no accurate statement. But these reasons are most common in neutered cats.
4. obesity and diabetes
Sterilization will make the obesity trend of cats more obvious, and obesity will greatly increase the risk of diabetes.
Other diseases
In addition, sterilization may increase the incidence of urinary incontinence, lower urinary tract diseases, hypothyroidism, urinary tract problems and other diseases. Generally speaking, the probability is low, so you need to pay attention, but don't worry too much.
When will you be sterilized?
At present, many people on the Internet position the best sterilization age for cats at about 6 months, but some people sterilize at this age too early. I won't say anything about this. I'll provide some documents for parents' reference:
1.Brennen McKenzie's 20 15 "Assessing the Benefits and Risks of Dog and Cat Sterilization" points out that:
It is suggested that all female cats and dogs who do not intend to have children should be sterilized, because sterilization can prevent diseases, and for male cats and dogs, the benefits of sterilization are not significantly greater than the risks of sterilization. Bitches should be sterilized before their first estrus.
2. In 2007, Laura J. Sanborn pointed out in her research document "Long-term health risks and benefits related to castration/neutering of dogs":
In most cases, the health problems related to sterilization may outweigh the related health benefits. Traditional 6-month-old sterilization makes dogs vulnerable to health risks. Unless medically necessary, it is recommended to wait until the dog is mature.
3. In 20 13, M.J. Farnworth wrote his research paper "Veterinarians' attitude towards cats before publication: a comparison of samples from New Zealand, Australia and Britain" (Veterinarians' attitude towards cats' prepubertal gonadectomy: a comparison of samples from New Zealand, Australia and Britain), pointing out that:
In the survey with a sample size of 7 17, 89.5% veterinarians think that they can be sterilized before puberty, and 10.5% veterinarians think that they don't want cats to be sterilized before puberty. Data analysis shows that the average age of sterilization of female and male cats in Britain is 4.3 months; The average sterilization age of female cats in Australia and New Zealand is 3.4 months, while that of male cats is 3.2 months.
4. In 2004, Dr. C. Victor Spain of DVM and others pointed out in the article "Long-term Risks and Benefits of Early Gonadal Excision in Dogs":
Premature sterilization will increase hip dysplasia, noise phobia, urinary incontinence and increase the incidence of cystitis in male dogs. Therefore, it is recommended that male dogs be sterilized for 6-8 months, and female dogs be delayed for three months.
How is sterilization done?
Male cat sterilization is a relatively simple operation, and both testicles are removed after general anesthesia. Generally, self-knotting is used without sewing.
Male cats also have a special situation, that is, cryptorchidism. Cryptorchidism means that the testicles grow not in the scrotum but in the stomach. Most cryptorchidism will become malignant tumors when cats get old, so it is necessary to confirm with the surgeon before the operation.
What preparations should I make before sterilization?
If you see this situation and decide to take your cat for sterilization, you must be prepared before the operation.
Fasting and banning water
Fasting 8 hours before operation, drinking water 4 hours, and following the doctor's advice after operation.
Project preparation
Cat cage, collar of moderate size, surgical gown (provided by general hospital) for cats to exercise slightly.
Preoperative examination
Before the operation, the doctor will do a health examination for the cat, which generally includes routine examination, blood routine examination and biochemical examination. And choose the appropriate anesthesia method and operation method according to the examination results. If the cat breed is special, antibody examination, virus screening and genetic disease investigation can also be carried out.
Main functions of inspection
1. Blood routine: Knowing the inflammation in the body, the blood coagulation ability and electrolyte content evaluated by platelet concentration can help doctors to make appropriate surgical plans and anesthesia plans.
2. Biochemical examination: judging the cat's drug metabolism ability and nutritional status, and also determining the doctor's operation speed and drug intensity.
Maintenance after sterilization
Male cats don't need extra care after sterilization, but they should limit their exercise and pay attention to observe whether there is bleeding and redness. You'd better wear a collar to prevent the cat from licking. After sterilization, the female cat needs to put on a surgical gown and a collar.
A newly neutered cat may have a poor appetite. If you don't eat proper food for a long time, you should ensure the cat's physical strength, and at the same time provide the cat with a quiet environment to rest, avoid receiving visitors and prevent the cat from having a stress reaction.