Experts do not recommend sterilizing a pregnant cat; this is only permitted as a last resort. When the owners miss the moment and the pet manages to become pregnant, it is better for her to carry to term and give birth to babies. But initially you should make sure that the kittens will be settled.
If the doctor decides that sterilization is possible, then they do not perform a regular operation, but the so-called “extirpation of the pregnant uterus,” in which the veterinarian makes an incision in the abdomen and from there removes the ovaries and uterus with embryos.
Read the article about what cat sterilization is.
In any case, before making a decision, you should consult your veterinarian about whether a pregnant cat can be sterilized.
Mr. Cat Explains: Principles of Operation
Removing embryos from the uterus during the sterilization process is quite difficult. This is due to some distinctive features of the structure of the cat’s reproductive system. Due to the significant extent of the bicornuate uterus, during pregnancy it can accommodate several fetuses at once.
Even a highly qualified veterinarian is not able to remove future kittens from the uterus without damaging its walls. For this reason, sterilization is performed, in which the doctor makes an incision in the abdominal area to remove and eliminate the ovaries and uterus with developing embryos. This surgical intervention is called “extirpation of the pregnant uterus”; it is more risky compared to simple sterilization.
If there is no choice, then when is it better: early or late?
As soon as possible!
Optimally, if this is a period of approximately 3 weeks from the moment of conception. But even in this ideal case, there is no talk of preserving the uterus. At a later date, sterilization is not recommended. And the ovaries, of course, too.
If you do without removing the ovaries, then very bad and terrible consequences are possible: problems with the glands and endocrine system are inevitable, and for this reason even oncology can develop.
What are the risks of sterilizing a pregnant cat?
Surgical intervention for pets is dangerous due to the following:
- The pregnant uterus of increased size is penetrated by the circulatory system.
- During surgery, the cat experiences an increase in blood loss, and the postoperative scar due to the enlarged uterus will be larger than with planned castration.
- Rehabilitation will also take longer than after a simple operation, since the body of a pregnant animal will endure serious physical and hormonal stress.
If there is a need to sterilize a pregnant cat, it is better to do it early. Because in the later stages it is risky not only for the pet’s health, but also for its life.
If there are suspicions about pregnancy, it is recommended to conduct an ultrasound examination 14 days after the animal’s sexual intercourse. If suspicions of conception are confirmed, it would be wise to immediately sterilize the cat. In such a situation, the cat will practically not suffer, and the possibility of developing negative consequences will be minimal. The most optimal time for the operation is a maximum of 6 weeks of pregnancy. Read the article about the first birth of a cat.
Possible complications
The owner of the animal is often afraid of complications that may arise as a result of surgery. This is fine. However, if there are medical conditions, surgery must still be performed. Otherwise, the cat may die.
Veterinarians list the following possible complications after extirpation of the uterus with fetuses:
- Behavioral problems. At the subconscious level, the cat understands that it is pregnant. After the removal of the internal genital organs along with the embryos, she experiences stress, which even leads to depression.
- Sepsis. Blood poisoning is possible if there were dead fetuses in the uterus. Their breakdown products provoke acute inflammation.
- Intra-abdominal bleeding. If during an operation the surgeon accidentally damages the uterus, the cat may bleed to death in a matter of minutes and it will be extremely difficult to help.
- Peritonitis. This is an infectious inflammation of the peritoneum that can lead to death. It develops when sanitary and hygienic standards are not observed during surgery, and pathogenic microbes and bacteria enter the abdominal cavity.
- Incorrectly calculated dose of anesthesia. It is difficult for a pregnant cat to choose an anesthetic drug. If the dose is calculated incorrectly, the animal runs the risk of waking up prematurely or not recovering from anesthesia at the end of the operation.
- Inflammation of the sutures. During extirpation, a long incision is made and it heals slowly. During the rehabilitation period, it may become infected. Against this background, inflammation appears.
Sometimes females after such operations develop hormonal disorders and aspiration pneumonia.
The decision about whether a cat can be sterilized during pregnancy is made by the doctor. After castration or sterilization, it is recommended to leave the pet for some time in a veterinary clinic under the supervision of a doctor.
The best place for sterilization
It is recommended to sterilize a pregnant cat at a veterinary hospital. If you decide to sterilize your animal, it is important to minimize stress on the cat.
Some owners make arrangements with the veterinarian to perform the operation at home. But, given the possible negative consequences, it is better to sterilize such an animal in a hospital setting:
- In the clinic, if a critical situation arises, specialized medical equipment will be connected, which the doctor cannot use when operating at home.
- At the veterinary hospital, the pet can be left for the first time under the supervision of a doctor.
- At the clinic, your pet will be provided with the necessary post-operative care and professionally performed procedures.
Stages of the procedure
Is it necessary to sterilize a cat: what will happen if you don’t?
Castration in cats is a serious abdominal operation performed under general anesthesia. The steps of the operation include:
- Mandatory preparation, vaccination is required (according to plan), as well as antiparasitic complex treatment against helminths and ectoparasites. Before the scheduled day of surgery, it is recommended to keep the cat on a fasting diet for at least 10 hours.
- Preparing a pet for a planned operation in a veterinary clinic includes an examination and taking the necessary blood and urine tests. If there are possible deviations, the doctor will not be able to perform surgery. Next, the animal is weighed to determine the exact dose of the drug. The animal, which is in a deep stage of sleep, is placed on the operating table. The fur is removed from the intended incision site and treated with antiseptic solutions.
- Carrying out the operation. The surgeon creates access by cutting through the abdominal tissue. When carrying out planned sterilization of a non-pregnant cat, tissue dissection is carried out from the side. A larger incision is required to remove the uterus and fetuses. Ligatures are applied to compress large vessels that fill the uterus with blood. This will prevent serious bleeding. Next, the uterus and appendages are removed and special sutures are applied.
The operation begins with the administration of anesthesia
Sterilizing a pregnant cat: inevitability and ideal age
A cat's heat begins at an early age, sometimes after reaching 6 months. However, it is impossible to sterilize a pet before 8 months, since the body, which is not fully formed, suffers severe stress because of this. When surgery is performed at an early age, there may be a delay in the formation of the kitten.
In addition, it is prohibited to sterilize a cat that weighs less than 2.5 kilograms (with the exception of features provided for by the breed).
It is allowed to sterilize an animal upon reaching one year of age and at a later time. Although the owner should not delay surgical intervention due to the risk of disease formation. Hormonal drugs that suppress estrus can cause some negative consequences, including serious hormonal and psychological disorders, cancer in the uterus or ovaries.
It is ideal to sterilize a cat at 7-9 months of age.
If there is no desire to deal with the placement of kittens several times during the year, it is recommended to operate on the pet, especially when it walks on the street or often runs away from home. Cats have high sexual activity, which contributes to the onset of another pregnancy even when feeding babies.
Which animal can get a person pregnant?
As has already been said, the fusion of a person and any other creature by natural means is simply excluded. Well, if we approach the issue from a completely different angle and talk about artificial insemination.
As you know, when a woman cannot get pregnant for a long time, she turns to specialists for help. They, in turn, help to fertilize the egg under clinical conditions with the husband’s sperm.
Imagine for a second if a person asks to be fertilized with an animal’s seed? This simply doesn’t fit in the mind theoretically. But still.
Even if such a process is allowed, pregnancy will not occur due to the above reasons, as well as for an additional reason - the female body’s rejection of an unknown foreign body. Thus, even if we assume the very fact of fertilization of the egg, then the possibility of its attachment to the wall of the uterus will not occur.
Then another question arises: isn’t there any animal from which one could become pregnant? Indeed, in nature it happens that representatives of different species interbreed and a hybrid is obtained. It is impossible to deny the fact of conceiving a baby between two representatives who are close in genetics. If you take a tiger and a lion, then when crossed you will get a baby, just like what will happen with a mule and a horse.
Specifics of surgical intervention
A pregnant cat can be sterilized early or late in pregnancy. The specifics of the operation remain unchanged - the veterinarian removes the uterus and ovaries. However, the longer the period, the more difficult the surgical intervention will be. In such a situation, not simple sterilization is performed, but ovariohysterectomy or castration.
The process involves removing the ovaries and uterus at the same time. Experts give preference to ridding the animal of the entire reproductive system, since tumors or other diseases may begin to develop due to the abandonment of the uterus.
Any surgical intervention is performed under general anesthesia in a veterinary hospital. Conventional sterilization is carried out using a seamless method, the final incision in such a situation is approximately 1 cm in length, but this is not suitable for a pet in this position. She will need long-term rehabilitation - the scar takes a long time to heal - and doctors will have to worry about possible bleeding. Babies, even in later stages, usually die.
Sterilizing a cat during pregnancy is more dangerous than undergoing simple surgery. At a later date, the likelihood of negative consequences increases.
As a result, veterinarians advise operating on the pet before the pregnancy reaches one month.
Under the influence of developing embryos, the uterus expands and they require more blood supply. Therefore, during surgery, an increase in blood loss is observed. Due to the increase in size of the uterus, the postoperative scar is very large.
In addition, at a later stage the body prepares for feeding kittens, this contributes to the occurrence of complications that will have to be encountered during the operation. In addition, the development of hormonal stress is observed. Because of these factors, the risk of developing negative consequences increases, namely, bleeding and inflammation in the scar area.
Also read articles about blood and other discharge in a pregnant cat.
Possible consequences
Consequences after surgery to remove reproductive organs in a pregnant cat are not uncommon. You should contact a veterinary clinic if your pet exhibits the following signs:
- refusal to eat for more than 3 days after surgery;
- change in body temperature: increase to 39.5 °C after surgery on days 3-5;
- severe swelling at the location of the suture;
- the appearance of purulent discharge in the area of the wound surface and the appearance of an unpleasant odor.
The animal's apathetic state, lethargy and severe drowsiness should also be a cause for concern for the owner.
Care and care after surgery
Animals sterilized during pregnancy require special care afterward to prevent possible complications. After rehabilitation, the pet, as a rule, becomes calmer and more affectionate, and the aggressiveness that appeared due to hormonal changes during sexual arousal disappears.
Immediately after surgery, the cat should be placed in a warm, dark, and soft place until the anesthesia wears off.
Recovery is quite painful; therefore, while the animal is recovering, you should not contact it. This is especially true for disturbances from children and other pets.
During the rehabilitation process, the owner must take care of the condition of the scar, make sure that it does not get wet or fester, that it is dry and clean. Typically, a postoperative scar heals in 7-10 days.
In addition, during the recovery process the cat is prescribed antibiotics and vitamin preparations. You should also wipe your pet's eyes with contact lens solution so that they open normally after using anesthesia.
Special clothing can be used so that the post-operative suture heals faster and the scarring process proceeds as expected.
We recommend reading the article about food for sterilized cats.
Sterilizing a pet means taking care of it
Sterilizing a cat in any condition means responsibly keeping your pet.
Cats are characterized by rapid and fruitful reproduction. In the case where the owner does not breed purebred kittens, it is necessary, casting aside doubts, to carry out sterilization.
A domestic cat can acquire an infectious disease through contact with stray animals. Thanks to birth control, the number of stray cats is reduced and the risk of infection of a pet is reduced.
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