Why Spay/Neuter or Desex Cats on World Spay Day
Did you know the last Tuesday in February is Spay Day? Passionate animal advocate and actor Doris Day launched the annual event in 1995 and is a campaign of the Humane Society Check out our unique spay/neuter graphics and their site for suggestions and low cost spay/neuter events. The International awareness and action campaign focuses on the need to spay/neuter pets and stray/feral cats and dogs to prevent unwanted litters.
For 8 years it’s been our Cat Wisdom 101 mandate to enlighten and entertain cat lovers. To our saavy subscribers, we’re preaching to the choir, but we get a lot of traffic from all over the world. It’s to those readers we keep hammering key messages like the importance of spay/neuter. We’re also joining our friends for a week long blog hop. Scroll down to the end.
A purrfect example of how learning can be fun are our popular Spay Day Posts about the feline Social Roll
It’s why we’re fond of creating new messages from vintage cat art like these cuties.
What’s the difference between Spay, Neuter, Desexing, Castration or Fixing?
- In the North America we use the terms “to spay and neuter” or “spay/neuter” to sterilize cats and dogs from breeding.
- To spay means to sterilize a female. The medical term for feline spaying is ovariohysterectomy – the surgical removal of a female cat’s ovaries and uterus. The surgery requires general anesthesia and usually an overnight stay at a veterinary clinic. To reduce risk from anesthesia, kittens must be at least 5 weeks old.
- The recommended age for spaying has gradually come down from 5 months to 5 weeks but new controversies are brewing. Some veterinarians and breeders believe it’s safer to spay at 10 to 12 weeks. Whatever you do, know that kittens can get pregnant as early as 14 weeks.
- In the U.K. Europe, Australia and most other countries we use the term to “desex” or “desexing”. There is no gender distinction.
- Fixing is an informal term for sterilization.
- To neuter or neutering is the sterilization of a male cat or dog also called βcastrationβ. It’s a surgical procedure under local anesthetic to remove the testicles. The medical term is βorchiectomy.β
While spaying is a little more complicated because of general anesthesia and surgery, it’s benefits far outweigh minor risk. The procedure has been perfected, the recovery period brief without a downside. Unwanted litters save lives not to mention undue stress for the female. The biggest perk of spaying before their first heat is almost zero chance of breast cancer. Read our post about cats and breast cancer here.
Neutering is very quick and easy with almost no downtime. My old vet who volunteered his services in Canada for my cat rescue, would neuter male cats on a kitchen table of a foster home. This mancat clearly needs a snip.
All those myths about weight gain, not being a real female or mancat, missing out on having kittens are like all myths, 100% NOT True.
Desexed cats and dogs are simply happier and healthier.
If cost is a factor, there are low-cost clinics and free spay/neuter events in many communities. We’re big fans of low-cost clinics which is why we created a GoFundMe for Spay Bay, a low-cost clinic ravaged by Hurricane Michael. I’m happy to report, the clinic while not completely rebuilt yet received enough community support to operate a much needed temporary unit. If you would like to donate the price of a coffee, please do. Every bit helps ease suffering.
It would be easier if there was a global adoption of the term to desex.
What do you call animal sterilization where you live?
20 Comments
Andy
It is important to spay and neuter.
Scylla, Fenris, Tuiren, YinYang & Chimera (ATCAD)
Terrific post on the importance of spaying and neutering your pets
Catscue Catmom
Can’t encourage spayin and neutering enough! Good job.
Layla Morgan Wilde
Yes and thanks xox
Brian Frum
It’s so darn important and really should be mandatory reading! We’re thankful we have been able to “fix” so many community kitties . Thanks for joining the Thankful Thursday Blog Hop!
meowmeowmans
Oh yeah, we’re big proponents of spaying and neutering, too! Hooray for spay (and neuter)!
Ellen Pilch
Thanks for spreading the word. It breaks my heart that my KaTwo has mammary cancer because her original owner was too ignorant to get her spayed.
Layla Morgan Wilde
Oh no about KaTwo, a sad statistic that could have been prevented. Thanks for sharing and much love, strength and hope in journey ahead xox
Eastside Cats
Americans are too prudish to use desex, ’cause of the ‘sex’ part! But I agree that one universal term would be easier on all concerned! Great post!
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks! I thought about the sex part but surely Americans aren’t that prudish or maybe not.
Timmy Tomcat
Great post. We are all spayed/neutered but will spread the message
Layla Morgan Wilde
Good thing and keep spreading the message, thanks xo
Skeeter and Izzy
Spay,neuter,nip,tuck,snip,clip,whatever you call it the results are the same,healthier,happier cats and no more unwanted kittens. We see no downside here.
Now if only I could spay/neuter STUPID…..
Luvs to all!
Thanks for the great info!
Luvs
Skeeter and Izzy and the Feral Gang + Twig & Peanut & Romeo & the Angels >^..^^..^<~
Layla Morgan Wilde
Ha, yes that would largely solve the problem π xox
Summer
Spaying and neutering is so important!
Layla Morgan Wilde
Indeed. As a show cat I’m sure you have lots to say on the topic.
Cathy Keisha
Yep, TW has been trapping cats since the 1980s and getting them “fixed.” Spay/neiter is so important in keeping the cat population down. We’ve been reading about the Fix By Five campaign.
Layla Morgan Wilde
Good for you. The fix by five could use some tweaking. I’d like to see spay/neuter @ week 8-10.
easyweimaraner
soon it is that time again… I wish all our neighbors would be smarter and they would prevent what becomes a reason to complain for them later… ;O(
Layla Morgan Wilde
Has nothing changed at all in France? It’s disheartening and all the more reason to plug away bit by bit. xoxo