Many owners doubt whether to castrate their cat. Some breeders of mustachioed pets are afraid that after the operation the behavior, the character of the animal will change, or the pet will begin to rapidly gain weight. In some ways this is true. Hormonal levels and habits change, metabolism slows down. But this does not mean at all that your graceful pet will become a clumsy fat cat. And a lot depends on you. Therefore, let’s look at why a cat gets fat after castration, what to do to avoid pet obesity, and how to feed a castrated cat.
Castration of cats: indications for surgery
Castration is a simple surgical operation in which the gonads (testicles, testes) are removed from males. The main purpose of the operation is to deprive animals of reproductive function.
It is best to castrate cats after puberty, at the age of 8-10 months. Earlier castration can lead to serious complications and consequences, which often end in death. If you castrate a cat after the pet has already had contact with cats, the sexual instinct may remain, and the cat will continue to be interested in individuals of the opposite sex.
As a rule, veterinarians recommend castration for cats that are not of breeding value. Often cats are castrated after being removed from breeding, but as already noted, in this case castrated males may continue to show interest in cats.
Castration of cats is necessary:
- if the cat asks to go outside, constantly meows during the period of sexual heat;
- shows aggression during the rut;
- to prevent unwanted litters;
- leaves its marks in the house, apartment, entrance.
In some cases, the operation has medical indications (injuries of the scrotum, testes, cryptorchidism, congenital pathologies).
It is also worth noting that unneutered cats who do not have contact with cats can suffer from prostatitis. Such pets have an increased risk of developing urolithiasis.
Castrated animals live 65-70% longer than their non-castrated relatives. Viral and bacterial diseases and infections (herpes virus, chlamydia) are transmitted sexually.
In addition, if you constantly give males oral hormonal contraceptives, drugs to reduce sexual desire, or adjust behavior during the rut, the risk of developing tumors increases and hormonal levels are disrupted.
Neutered cats become calmer and, in rare cases, show aggression towards their relatives and family members.
Should I worry?
Many owners are reluctant to neuter their cat for fear that it will become boring, sleep a lot, and gain weight. There are some reasonable reasons for these concerns, but everything is not so clear-cut. The pet's behavior immediately after castration depends on its age. If the cat is 7–9 months old, no significant changes will occur. If you decide to castrate an adult cat who has already shown sexual desire or has had mating experience, the picture will be different.
After puberty, the cat is almost constantly preoccupied with finding a sexual partner. This predilection is shown to owners in the form of marks and screams. If the cat does not find a partner, his rants begin to repeat more and more often. The state of heat 2 times a month is considered very frequent.
After castration of a mature cat, hormonal levels can remain in an excited state for 6–12 months. Simply put, the cat, after recovering from anesthesia, will be just as active, will look for a female, and may even mark.
However, after the testicles are removed, sexual desire will fade and the desire to find a female will disappear. During this period, the cat becomes much calmer, sleeps and eats more.
It is important to understand that changes in lifestyle and daily routine will lead to a reduction in energy costs. The pet's diet must change. There are two options: special food for neutered cats or replacing familiar foods with less calories. It is important that the portion size remains the same and the cat does not feel hungry.
Hundreds and even thousands of cat castration operations take place every day in veterinary clinics. This procedure is so well-established that only in rare cases does it take a specialist more than half an hour of time. Despite this, the development of some side effects is possible. It happens, for example, that a cat vomits after castration. What does this phenomenon mean and does it pose a danger to the health and life of the animal?
Why do cats get fat after castration?
On thematic forums there are often questions: “Why does a cat begin to gain excess weight after castration?”, “What to feed a castrated cat?”. Let's try to answer these questions and consider the reasons that lead to excess weight gain.
After castration or sterilization, the hormonal levels in animals change. Metabolic changes occur in the body, which can lead to overeating and decreased energy. After the operation, metabolism slows down, and after a while the behavior of males changes. The cats become calmer, more peaceful, and even, in some ways, lazy.
Castration often leads not only to a reduction in energy requirements by 35-45%, but also to an increase in appetite.
It is due to decreased energy and increased appetite that neutered cats gain excess weight. Overeating often provokes obesity and endocrinological pathologies.
At risk are cats that live in a confined space, do not go for walks, as well as pets that are prone to obesity or suffer from chronic endocrine pathologies (diabetes mellitus).
Owners often notice that after the operation, the active, inquisitive cat has become less energetic, lazier, and calmer. At the same time, the pet rarely takes part in active games, is not interested in toys and constantly meows, begging for the next portion of food or favorite treats. This behavior could actually be a consequence of castration.
Therefore, so that the pet does not gain excess weight and does not turn into a beefy fat hulk, after castration, in addition to proper care, it is very important to adjust the diet. Otherwise, obesity cannot be avoided in 65-70% of cases.
General information
As you know, castration in most cases refers to an operation to remove the testes of a cat. Of course, there are less traumatic options when the testicles are preserved, but still in 90% of cases they are cut out. The operation itself is extremely simple and rarely requires full anesthesia. But in recent years (mainly for humanitarian reasons), even in this case, general anesthesia is increasingly used. It is not surprising that after recovering from anesthesia, a cat may vomit. This phenomenon is not absolutely normal, but it also does not pose any particular danger.
Very often, vomiting in a cat after castration is a consequence of gross non-compliance with the basic rules of preparation for surgery:
- The animal must not be fed at least 12 hours before the procedure. Ideally, this period is immediately increased to 16 hours.
- Two to three hours before surgery, the cat must not be given water.
- It is strictly forbidden to perform castration in cases where the pet is sick with something (this also includes severe cases of helminthic infestations).
In addition, immediately after recovery from anesthesia, your pet should not be given water (at least three hours later), and there is no talk of food at all!
You should wait about 12 hours, and only then start feeding the hungry cat. And this must be done using liquid broths. It is believed that a pet can be returned to its normal diet only after a few days. This way, his body is guaranteed to recover from the effects of anesthesia.
If you immediately give meat in pieces on the 2-3rd day, you shouldn’t expect anything good. The animal’s digestive system is still “inhibited” at this time, and therefore not only vomiting, but also diarrhea may develop. And all because the food will be poorly digested and will begin to rot, resulting in intoxication.
Remember, at least on the first day you should not give your cat anything “heavy”! If you want to pamper your pet, give him some commercial food specially designed for feeding sick and weakened animals.
It should be taken into account that tracheal intubation is often required during anesthesia. If this operation was not performed carefully enough, the walls of the organ are injured. The cat develops a feeling of intense tickling and develops a “metallic”, “barking” cough, which causes the animal to vomit. What other reasons contribute to vomiting?
Other predisposing factors
It happens that some cats come to their senses surprisingly quickly after anesthesia and feel quite well. This, of course, is wonderful, but only in such cases the pet can begin to lick itself, and it will pay special attention to the “gutted” scrotum. And in her cavity after the operation there will be powder or something similar. It often happens that a cat vomits violently precisely because he has drunk too much levomikol or something similar. And vomiting in this case is the least of all problems. If a pet begins to lick a post-operative wound, suppuration will almost certainly develop, and the animal may die from sepsis and other dangerous phenomena.
It is also possible that your cat was suffering from a severe helminthic infestation at the time of castration. Toxins released by parasites can enter into a “symbiosis” with drugs administered during anesthesia. But there are also more dangerous factors. So, vomiting may indicate intestinal volvulus. Again, this often happens in cases where “compassionate” owners fed the operated pet heavily before surgery or immediately after recovery from anesthesia.
What to do to prevent obesity
After the operation, the period of adaptation of the body to reduced energy needs takes approximately two to three months, and during this time the cat can gain 30-40% of excess weight.
Therefore, after castration, in order to prevent your cat from becoming obese, you need to:
- review your diet;
- constantly weigh the cat.
Obesity in cats develops when excess weight is more than 20-35% of normal weight.
The normal weight of cats is 3.5-4 kg. With obesity, kidney stones appear, the load on the heart increases, urolithiasis, diabetes mellitus, and other disruptions in the functioning of the endocrine system develop.
You can assess the cat's condition by palpation, visually, but this method is difficult if you have a long-haired pet. Obesity can be judged when a pet's ribs cannot be felt.
As for the optimal weight, this indicator is individual for each breed. You can find out what the normal weight of a castrated cat should be from the veterinarian who performed the operation. The specialist will also give recommendations regarding postoperative care and further diet of the mustachioed pet.
Selection of ready-made food
To paraphrase a famous cat food advertisement, we can say - if pussy could read, she would never buy Whiskas!
Every cat owner who treats their pet with love understands that economy-class food is not of high quality. High-quality food does not come cheap. In order to understand how different categories of feed differ, it is enough to carefully study their compositions. Fine print on the packaging will tell you exactly what is included in each food. It immediately becomes clear that saving on your pet is not worth it - trips to the veterinarian will cost much more than the amount saved.
Some manufacturers produce premium foods that are almost as good in characteristics as diets included in the super-premium category. It is these foods that you should pay attention to when choosing food that is included in the line designated “For sterilized cats.”
If your cat is gaining excess weight, it is a good idea to purchase food that is labeled “Anti-obesity.”
This lump has less calories, so sometimes you can pamper your pet with a small handful of your favorite dried goods without causing damage to her health. To prevent urolithiasis, which also affects cats, special foods are also produced. They contain more vitamins, but the amount of phosphorus and magnesium is reduced to a minimum. High-quality preventive feeds prevent the appearance of stones, since the components present in their composition simply dissolve them.
We should not forget that a cat eating dry food definitely needs a bowl of fresh water. When choosing food, you need to make sure that it has the inscription “Prevention” on it. Medicinal feeds are purchased only on the recommendation of a veterinarian.
Rules for feeding castrated cats
Regardless of what type of food the cat receives (ready-made food, natural food), the pet’s diet should not only be varied and balanced in the content of nutrients, but also meet the energy needs of the animal.
Considering that after castration, the body’s energy needs are reduced by approximately 20-30%, it is necessary to reduce the calorie content and nutritional value of the diet. A castrated cat only needs 70-80% of the food he consumed before castration. Thus, you need to reduce portions or reduce the frequency of feedings. For example, if your cat is used to eating three times a day, switch your pet to two meals a day.
A castrated cat with a slow metabolism requires 60 kcal per kilogram of weight per day. If the cat is prone to obesity or suffers from endocrine pathologies, reduce this figure by 20-25%.
Before feeding your cat, to accurately calculate the serving size, use a measuring cup or kitchen scale, since the approximate dosage may be incorrect.
If your cat is accustomed to begging for treats and food, do not follow your pet’s lead. By encouraging your cat, you only make the situation worse. Divide the daily amount of feed into several meals. Give your cat food at the same time, stick to the routine. By dividing the daily diet into several portions, you can fully satisfy your cat’s needs without increasing the volume of food eaten.
Considering that castrated cats are often diagnosed with kidney stones, you can slightly acidify the food, unless of course there are contraindications. Give us kefir, low-fat cottage cheese, yoghurts, skim milk.
