A question about Nutering

**DJFyrewolf36** · 07-21-2004, 06:23 PM

Remus is home from his nuter, No worse for wear either! They have this new nutering thing I guess where they don't actually have to remove the bits! Has anyone heard of this procedure? I think it is neat, less trauma on the poor kitty, and it makes things cheaper too! Remus I guess caused a problem for MIL, he wasn't too keen on the car ride lol.

Anyway, I just wanted to find out more about this nutering procedure. I don't know a whole lot about it and I was hoping some of you guys would know!

**RedHedd** · 07-21-2004, 06:54 PM

I haven't heard of this. What do they do? Just snip the pipes and leave the bits?

**lizzielou742** · 07-21-2004, 06:58 PM

Hrmmm....here's an article I think you might find interesting (stuff in bold is copied and pasted from http://www.hdw-inc.com/spayneuter.htm).

THE NEUTER OPERATION (MALES)

Another name for the neuter surgery performed on male cats is "castration."

Male cats are usually neutered between 5 1/2 and 9 months of age, before habits such as spraying urine are started. Neutering involves the removal of the source of sex hormones and sperm cells, which is the testicles. The two incisions are usually so small that stitches or sutures are not even needed. And, normally, the cat is sent home the very same day.

NEUTERING VS. VASECTOMY IN MALES

There is another procedure available for preventing fertility in males, and that is a "vasectomy". While a vasectomy renders a male cat sterile, it does not affect testosterone levels as long as the spermatic artery is kept intact. A vasectomized cat, in other words, can mate, but cannot father kittens. This procedure is rarely used for domestic male cats, because a vasectomized male cat would still have territorial issues, still perhaps be prone to fighting other cats to protect that territory, still wander and try to get outside in search of a mate, and still spray urine that has a very strong odor. Vasectomy is still a valid alternative for population control in feral cat colonies, however.

Is it possible Remus had a vasectomy or something like that? Since "neutering" is defined as actual removal of the "bits" - castration?

I don't know but I searched for "neutering procedure cats" in Google and this is all I found that had anything to do with alternatives to neutering. Also, there's a site: http://www.geocities.com/catcare2000/neut.htm that actually has before and after drawings of the internal organs of the cat.

Also, I had Tito neutered, and it looks like he still has a little something left there, like a tomcat but smaller "bits." Heck I don't know, who on here is a vet??

**wolflady** · 07-21-2004, 09:02 PM

LOL LOL First, I just had to chuckle at the use of "bits".

Most vets do the full castration, which is the procedure where they remove the testicles. I have heard of the vasectomy procedure as well, where they snip the pipes and basically the "bits" just kind of shrivel up, but are left inside the sacks.

I believe some vets may offer both procedures, so you may just want to ask your vet which surgery was performed?

I worked at a vet hospital for the past year, and I only ever saw the castration done. I don't even think we offer the other alternative.
On that note, I just have to say that I had no idea how it was done and was a bit shocked at how fast it was!! It's a 5 minute (tops) procedure! I also always thought they got stitches, but they don't! Basically, the cat is knocked out via a sedative intravenously. Most surgeries require the tube down the throat and all of that, but not for neuters since they're so quick. They shave the area, make a small incision, pull the testicles out and cut and tie them off and repeat for the other side. That's it!

**sirrahbed** · 07-21-2004, 09:24 PM

LOL now THIS is interesting but maybe I can shed light on what I have observed. My last experience with neutering was 20 years ago - the procedure was different back then and the male came home with a bloody backside with the testicles obviously castrated off, testicle, fur, skin and all - and stitched. This new procedure involves a tiny incision (glued closed) and removes the testicles but still leaves the sacs, or scrotum, so it can appear that he still is "intact" so to speak but if you give them a little squeeze, you will find that they are indeed empty sacs

~Nurse Sirrahbed

**catnapper** · 07-21-2004, 09:55 PM

Thank you Nurse Sirrahbed!!!

When we took Allen in for his "de-bitting" he had a glorious set of bits - even the vet commented on how, um, sizable they were. Even after the operation, Allen still had what most kitties would be happy to sport. My hubby calls him big balls.

(I hope I don't offend anyone!) Pouncer on the other hand had normal sized bits and basically nothing is there anymore. They left the sacs, but they are so itty bitty they aren't worth mentioning.

Oh, geez, now I told the whole world my boys my private things! Don't tell them I did that!

**sirrahbed** · 07-21-2004, 11:24 PM

Is nothing sacred here???
This just proves that the size of the bits does not matter! Allen just has lots of skin!!! NO BITS! & BIG empty sacs!!

**DJFyrewolf36** · 07-22-2004, 10:14 AM

I think the vacsectomy is what they did. Remus still has his bits, but they do look smaller. He still walks around as if they removed the whole thing though lol. He wasn't too happy...understandibly so! Thank you for the info!