Is it safe (anasthesia is what I'm worried about) for a 5yr. old very nervous/ wild male cat to be neutered?

Question

Will he stop spraying once done? He is already territorial and wild, but will he at least calm down a little? Will the procedure make him stop being playful or forget his little tricks? Is it true that neutered cats live longer- is there really proof of this?
Please answer all questions only if you are sure of answers.
Thanks!

Answer 1

Anesthesia is safe for the cat. As to whether or not he will stop spraying - there aren't any guarantees. Party of spraying is hormonal, but part of it is habit. After five years, the habit is going to be pretty well ingrained. If he can possibly be moved to a new area after he's neutered, where no other cats have been living, he might not scent others, and might possibly feel less need to mark out a territory of his own. The procedure WON'T make him less playful; I have a 15-year-old cat that was neutered in the first 6 months that I had him, and he still gets up to chase a feather toy around. Since he IS 15 years old, and still healthy, I'd say that it certainly can't hurt a cat's longevity.

Answer 2

You need to contact your vet. The vet might suggest giving him a "kitty downer". This will make him relax before going in for the surgery. He should calm down some because his aggressive/territorial behavior stems partly from not interacting with humans and also his natural tendancies to mate. Once he is neutered, his hormone levels should go down. I can't give you a 100% answer if he'll stop spraying, but again if he doesn't have the urge to mate and mark his territory, then his spraying should either stop or halt it tremendously. I'm sure he will still be playful and won't forget any of his tricks, because the vet will be operating at the other end of the body :). I do know the risk of getting cancer is remarkably lowered if an animal is neutered. Don't think of this as being "mean" or "cruel" to the cat. You're actually doing him a favor - from getting into cat fights. Good luck with your decision

Answer 3

There isn't a guarantee that he'll stop spraying once he's neutered. My male cat was neutered and he continued to spray for many, many years.

I've never owned an unneutered/spayed animal, so I can't comment on the calming down. Everyone that I've ever spoken to or has ever came into the office says that they notice they are less wild. People say that they'l get fat and lazy, but that's only if you allow them to become that way. If he's being neutered, that shouldn't do anything in regards to him forgetting anything...I don't think that two areas are connected, lol, only in the human world they are! (just kidding). Neutered cats and dogs are supposed to live longer because you are eliminating the possiblity of testicular cancer for neutered animals and ovarian and cervical and other reproductive cancers in spayed animals.

Like with humans, there is always a danger when going under anesthesia. We do blood work before an animal goes under to make sure everything is up to par. 5 years old isn't that old though to go under anesthesia.

Good Luck.

Answer 4

Absolutely, it is safe to neuter an adult cat. The anesthesia is usually a safe gas called isofluorane. "Iso" works very quickly and smoothly, and it's cleared from the respiratory system very quickly so the cat wakes up fast. Some vets use Sevofluorane, which is cleared even more quickly. Both of these are safe for human pediatric use. Most vets also give a preanesthetic sedative to calm the pet down before surgery and reduce the amount of anesthesia needed. These sedatives can last for 12 hours or so and allow the animal to be calmer during the wake-up period as well. That's why many pets are still groggy when they go home. The gas anesthesia wears off quickly, but the sedatives tend to hang around a while.

It's also a good idea for any pet having anesthesia to have preop blood work done. This is a blood panel similar to what your own doctor would order for you before surgery. It lets the vet see the function of the kidneys and liver, check glucose status and hydration, find anemia or infection, and get a look at many things that can't be seen just with a hands-on exam. At five, your kitty is in prime adulthood, but it is still a good thing to consider having done before your kitty has surgery. Even if there's a slight difference, that doesn't mean the vet can't do the surgery, but it does alert him to the value and allows for adjustments to the anesthesia to make the experience as safe as possible.

Neutering might slow your kitty down and curb some of his desire to roam and mate with females, and fight over them. However, it won't completely curb his desire to fight for territory (space) and "things". If he sprays already, neutering should help reduce some of that, but at five he has probably already learned to spray. Spraying is not just a sexual behavior-- cats also spray to mark territory. Even female cats sometimes spray, and if this behavior has already been learned, then neutering may not completely eliminate it.

As for living longer, if the kitty spends more time at home and less time roaming, he is less likely to contract viruses or other illnesses through fighting. He is less likely to get hit by a car or attacked by another animal, or trapped/injured/poisoned by a cruel neighbor if he stays home and safe indoors. That's an indisputable fact. Also, testicular cancer is a killer-- neutering completely eliminates this risk. That means you'll be able to keep him healthier longer. He WILL still be playful, and probably even more so once he heals up (in a few days) because he won't be so distracted by "other things".

But remember... it can take 2 weeks to a month for his male hormones to drop after surgery. He may still act like a fully equipped male for a while afterwards. And, some males will still try to mate with females even after neutering. My Tonkinese was neutered very young, but he doesn't know it. He still goes for my female kitten (who is still too tiny for spay, even though she's 7 months old-- only 4 pounds.). Of course, he can't sire any kittens but that doesn't stop him from trying! It depends on what he has learned and his pre-surgery habits.

Neutering is absolutely the safest and wisest thing to do for his health and your sanity. Go for it!!

Answer 5

I have an answer for one of your questions at least. It will not harm him to be neutered. My 22 and 1/2 year old cat had anesthesia at age 21 and 22. It IS risky at that advanced age, not for a five year old cat. The vet will want to do blood work prior to surgery to check on his health at any rate.

Please use a vet that uses the gas isofluorine for the procedure. You do not want to have the cat injected with ketamine which stays in the system for quite a while, sometimes causing hallucinations and emotional upset. The gas is fast-acting and leaves the system almost as soon as the mask is removed.

Answer 6

I am a groomer at a vet's office and have seen the following: l. not all cats stop spraying once neutered. 2. neutering most of the time will calm an animal down.(notice I say most of the time)3. he will still be playful and remember his tricks 4. the risk of cancer of the prostate is removed. Remember why we neuter or spay....that is to control population. Unless you have a purebreed cat, it is your responsibility to help and not add to the over population of pets.

Answer 7

1.) Yes, they will do bloodwork on him and check his heart to be especially safe.

2.) No, it's not a guarantee. Once a male cat has sprayed, being neutured may not stop it.

3.) He will calm down in the fact that he won't go out looking for female cats to knock up and fighting with other male cats. The basic energy level of his shouldn't be affected.

4.)No, he'll be just as playful as before and unless they're doing brain surgery, he won't forget anything :)

5.) Yes to living longer. By removing the testicles, it gets rid of the chance of him coming down with certain cancers. Also, with him not going out to look for women, it takes away the chance of him getting in fights, which can cause serious injury to him.

Hope that helps!

Answer 8

at 5 it will help but cannot say it will stop 100 % becuase its also habit/behavioral....
neutered cats have fewer health risks like testicular cancer so yes they would tend to live longer and because they roam less they are less of a nuicance..plus they are considered more adoptable than an unneutered one...
he will still be playful although at his age.. he will slow down naturally anyhow

as far as anesthetic goes - their isnt an additional risk at 5 yrs.. there is always a risk but he isnt too old or anything.. in the long run its certainly better

Answer 9

Yes.
Yes.
No.
Yes.
Yes.


http://www.doghause.com/spay.asp

What can you do to stop the suffering?
Spay and neuter your pet! In addition to saving lives, spaying and neutering can also drastically improve your pet's health and life expectancy. The idea that pets become fat or lazy when they are spayed or neutered is a myth. Sterilized pets lead healthier, longer lives. Spaying a female eliminates the possibility of uterine and ovarian cancer and greatly reduces the risk of breast cancer. Neutering a male reduces the risk of both prostate enlargement and prostate cancer. Neutering also will make your pet more affectionate and less likely to roam, get in fights, or become lost.

Answer 10

While in the city where we lived I got involved with cat rescue, catching wild cats, getting them fixed releasing them in there territory (so another unfixed cat would not take the spot in this wild cat population in Seattle).
If you are taking care of this cat, and have been teaching him tricks this is not considered a wild cat. Though by saying it is a wild cat you can get this cat fixed for free. Therefor defrauding those who are trying to help wild cats...

Oh I am sure of my answers lol! Wild (unfixed) tom cats will get infections from fighting with other toms for the "rights" to breed. Wild toms will kill kittens of another toms females litter. Wild toms can and sometimes do get cat leukemia, cat aids, other killer deceases by fighting with other toms for the rights to breed.
So just by this fact alone fixing a wild tom cat will make this tom live longer. Then of course letting the tom go into his territory so another unfixed tom does not take over his spot.
Cat rescues will help with someone who is wanting to help the wild cats with food, live cat traps,fixing the critters, vet care. I think I signed a contract with them, do not remember. They do not have the money to pay anyone for there time and effort nor there doctor bills from being attacked. True wild cats are MEAN!