Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Wordy Wednesday - Neuter Day



The kittens are going back to the shelter to be neutered today. I know this makes some people sad; I hope this post will change your mind about that.

I know that going through surgery is hard, and I imagine not know what is happening makes it a bit harder, but kittens generally handle the surgery pretty well, waking up a little groggy but not showing any outward signs of really knowing what happened. Sometimes they will lick their incisions and their shaved bits, but it appears to be more of a 'this is so weird' kind of feeling more than anything else. I've had a few pick at the glue they use to close up the incisions and generally when this happens it is because there are a few extra bits of glue sticking to their skin. I know I can't ignore it when I have super glue on my skin.

I also know that there is some risk to the surgery. I have had a small number of kittens pass away while being neutered and one in particular who "died" twice (points at Twee). Every time you sedate someone there is risk but being neutered is a very important part of a housecat's life.  Without it, they are generally not very good companions, caring more about reproducing than anything else.

There has also been some discussion about the harmful long-term effects of neutering and how a cat might live a longer life if they are allowed to progress into puberty or even keep their sex hormones throughout their lives. I don't believe the current information translates to cats. I also believe that the risks of neutering young and the possible risks of disease because of the lack of hormones is minimal compared to the known risks of the diseases that a cat faces when the hormones are on board. The behavioral issues are also a serious risk to cats. So many people want to 'get rid' of their cats simply because their cats are being hormonally intact cats.

So let's change the narrative.  Neuter day is a day to celebrate. It is a right of passage that turns a kitten into a housekitten. It is the day they get their golden cat bed and makes it possible for their humans to find them so they can live a long happy life.


16 comments:

  1. Happy Neuter Day!

    Emma and Buster

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  2. I agree! I'm frankly quite glad that I didn't have to be a mom cat, like my mother. She's had to wait several years before she can relax and finally get to be just a regular house kitty, but she is retiring this year. I'm very happy for her!

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  3. It always astounds me the people who refuse to neuter and then get upset when they have litter box problems - and you're right, these cats are likely to be dumped. To me, neuter/spaying is just one part of being a responsible pet "owner."

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  4. IMO, there ought to be no question about spaying/neutering, it's a no-brainer.

    Good luck and purrs to the kittens today, we hope all goes well for them.

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  5. Wise words -- thank you! I always consider it a kind of "graduation". It means they're going out to find their forever home! (And practically speaking, it's the ONLY way rescues can be sure they *will* be spayed or neutered. No other programme seems to work as effectively.)

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  6. I... can't even imagine anyone who is sad about the fixing day. It's such an essential part of a cat's life - and it frees them to simply BE a creature who can choose what they do, instead of intensely driven to do that one thing.

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  7. How many kittens can you fit into a carrier? LOL I can't believe that in this day and age there is still resistance/opinions to getting spayed and neutered, but sadly there is. I could not live with an unaltered animal.

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  8. Oh no, I've never doubted that spay and neutering is the only way to go! I will admit to a moment of panic when I dropped off Angel and Chuck...thinking what a 'big deal' it was...but it wasn't, and since then I've had neutered several ferals without a blink. Until we find another way to stem the tide of unwanted kittens, spay and neuter is the right way. PS I am so glad they started glueing instead of suturing!

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  9. hear hear!! (though Samantha looks kind of skeptical about the whole thing).

    Amaryllis (our momma cat) was dropped off this morning. we can only imagine how relieved she will be to be hormone-free and kitten-free :)

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  10. There are a lot of health issues linked to not spaying female cats, at the very least. I'm neither a doctor nor a scientist, so I can't confirm how well established the link is, but I've heard it from enough folks I trust to believe in it.

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  11. We purr all went well for the kittens with their neutering. Happy Neuter Day!

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  12. Happy Neuter Day! We hope everything went well for the kittens today. :)

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  13. I hope all went well for these cuties.

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  14. I have had only one cat neutered or spayed while in my care (all the rest went through it before I adopted or even fostered them), but I would have no problem sending mine for the surgery. I admit that when I saw the foster-boy in my care afterward, several alarming exclamations went through my head, but that was just because things looked very...absent. And possibly because I'm a man. Anyway, that cat seemed not to be troubled at all by it.

    There is of course attendant risks to any surgery, but I was more worried when two of mine recently had dental work done (at ages 13 and 11, respectively) than I would be over spay or neutering operations. Things don't go wrong that often. And I believe the cats feel better and face fewer physical problems later. Neuter and spay, please!

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  15. I saw the drunken kittens on Facebook so am certain things went well. I recall my vet's instructions to me each time I had a cat spayed or neutered, not to allow them to run or jump afterward. I can't say any of them ever paid attention ...I only wish my ability to recover would be so easy!

    Good luck to the little ones, time to find their forever homes.

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  16. Spay/neuter is a must! Hope it went well for the little ones today.

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