Impact of the use of contraceptives in cats

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the frequency of contraceptive administration carried out by tutors in domestic cats. The work was carried out in veterinary clinics in João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil. For that, a structured questionnaire was given out to cat tutors in two veterinary clinics, seeking to collect information on the frequency and age at which contraceptives are administered, side effects in their pets, as well as the possible side effects, adverse events and knowledge about the risks they pose to the animal. A total of 50 tutors were interviewed, where it was identified that the ages at which the cats most received contraceptives was between 1 and 3 years old, and 78% of the tutors use or would use these drugs to avoid pregnancy in females. It was observed that 79% of the tutors use the drugs even though they are aware of the undesirable side effects, and revealed that the reason for using them would be financial, since castration would cost more. About 90% of those tutors use the injectable form of the drugs and most (85%) buy them freely in pet shops. It is concluded that the use of contraceptives in cats has a high percentage, even with the tutors’ knowledge of the risks in continuous use, such as pyometra or neoplasms. It is also concluded that these drugs are easily sold in Agricultural house and that most are not administered by veterinary doctors.