Information on Spaying Cats

Cats can have about three litters a year of between four and six kittens, or between 12 and 18 kittens yearly, according to Peteducation.com. Most cats can start producing kittens when they are between four and 12 months old. Large cat litters can produce feral, homeless or abandoned cats, because people cannot take care of all of the kittens. Make sure your female cat does not produce a large number of kittens by getting her spayed.

  1. Spaying Process

    • Spaying--also known as an ovariohysterectomy--takes place in a veterinarian's office. The veterinarian puts your cat under anesthesia during the procedure. Your cat's uterus and ovaries are removed so that she can no longer go into heat or become pregnant.

    Aftercare and Effects

    • After being spayed, your cat will probably not experience any change in personality or have health problems, states Vetinfo.com. If you take your cat home the day of the surgery, do not give her food or water that day. Do not let her go outside or play with other cats for about a week. Check the site of your cat's stitches regularly to make sure it does not become infected and is healing properly.

    Time Frame

    • You can get your cat spayed when she is between five and seven months old, according to Pawprints and Purrs, Inc. Getting her spayed before her first heat will not harm her physically.

    Benefits

    • Spaying your cat will reduce her chances of developing physical problems that most often occur in pregnant cats or felines that have given birth, according to Peteducation.com. A pregnant or postpartum cat can develop mastitis, an infection that develops in the mammary glands; metritis, a uterine infection; or uterine prolapse, a condition that involves the uterus leaving the body. Some cats spread genetic problems to their kittens, such as pituitary dwarfism, diaphragmatic hernias, an imperforate anus or a cleft palate.

    Considerations

    • If you cat has just had kittens, wait until she is done nursing to get her spayed. The veterinarian may have a difficult time performing the procedure on a nursing cat because of her enlarged mammary glands, according to the Sacramento Area Animal Control Coalition. However, do get her spayed if she is in a home with an un-neutered male cat, because she could potentially get pregnant while she is nursing.

    Animal Programs

    • Trap-neuter-return programs often capture large numbers of wild cats so they can spay the animals and potentially reduce the population of feral cats. After spaying the cats, they return them to their natural environment or caregiver. Animal shelters often spay cats before they let people adopt them.