Performing a vasectomy on a cat is a terrible idea

Q: I’ve heard that you do vasectomies for dogs. Will you also do one for a cat? I grew up in a place where the cats are all intact and they seem much healthier and never get fat. I’ve also been reading on the Internet that hormones can be beneficial for pets in the long run. I want him to keep all of his hormones so he can be the best, healthiest cat he can be. Will you help?

A: While I’m willing to perform vasectomies in dogs, I’ve not yet encountered a situation in which I’d be willing to perform one on a cat.

The procedure is essentially a simple one. Though it requires a steady hand and some magnification equipment, it simply requires that we “snip out” a small segment of the sperm-carrying tube as it emerges from each testicle. This way the testicles can secrete all the normal sex hormones into the bloodstream while blocking any sperm from traveling out into the world.

To be clear: The cat would still act like a fully intact male, with all the behaviors that come along with that condition, including spraying (marking) much more frequently than other cats, fighting more aggressively for territory (and for females), secreting strong-smelling odors into the urine, roaming more broadly than other cats, and, yes, still mating with intact (unspayed) female cats.

As such, these cats are hard to confine indoors. The smell of their urine is pungent and permeates a household, even if they’re using the litterbox exclusively. They tend to mark their territory by spraying outside the litterbox (especially at windows and doorways). What’s more, most will try to find a way outside so they can both broaden their territory and find intact females.

If kept or allowed out of doors, they’re at increased risk of trauma and disease. Since they roam more while in search of females, they’re more likely to be injured in traffic. Moreover, they’re much more likely to become infected by communicable diseases (through mating and fighting).

You clearly want what you believe is best for your cat. While it’s true that an intact male is less likely to suffer from obesity and all its attendant diseases (diabetes and fatty liver disease, for example), is it worth the risk? After all, obesity is preventable and treatable. Trauma and infection often are not.

I strongly urge you to reconsider seeking a vasectomy. I certainly would never perform one in this case.

Dr. Patty Khuly has a veterinary practice at Sunset Animal Clinic in South Miami. Her website is drpattykhuly.com.