Owner’s attitudes, perception and satisfaction toward spaying and neutering in cats

In light of the latest research and in collaboration with BSAVA, we've launched an updated and more detailed policy position on neutering of cats and dogs.

Methadone in combination with acepromazine as premedication prior to neutering in the cat

Background: Neutering cats and dogs is the most common elective procedure undertaken in small animal practice. Neutering is often at the request of an owner but may be carried out...

Obesity is the most common nutritional condition of domestic cats in the UK, and is associated with a number of detrimental effects on health. Neutering of cats, which is absolutely essential for obvious reasons of population control and animal welfare, has long been recognised as an important risk factor in its development. In this article, we will review the current knowledge on the mechanisms underlying this association between neutering and increased risk for obesity. Weight gain in neutered cats arises from metabolic changes which are induced by the falling level of estrogens; those changes include increased energy intake, decreased satiety signals, and decreased energy expenditure. In order to tackle weight gain in neutered cats, those modifications in the metabolism of neutered cats need to be explained to the owners, and addressed by appropriate weight control measures immediately after the surgery.

Background. Failure among pet owners to neuter their pets results in increased straying and overpopulation problems. Variations in neutering levels can be explained by cultural differences, differences in economic status in rural and urban locations, and owner perceptions about their pet. There are also differences between male and female pet owners. There is no research pertaining to Irish pet owner attitudes towards neutering their pets. This paper identified the perceptions of a sample of Irish cat and dog owners that influenced their decisions on pet neutering.Methods. This study was conducted using social science (qualitative) methods, including an interview-administered survey questionnaire and focus group discussions. Data was coded and managed using Nvivo 8 qualitative data analysis software.Results. Focus groups were conducted with 43 pet (cats and dogs) owners. Two major categories relating to the decision to neuter were identified: (1) enabling perceptions in the decision to neuter (subcategories were: controlling unwanted pet behaviour; positive perceptions regarding pet health and welfare outcomes; perceived owner responsibility; pet function; and the influence of veterinary advice), and (2) disabling perceptions in the decision to neuter (subcategories were: perceived financial cost of neutering; perceived adequacy of existing controls; and negative perceptions regarding pet health and welfare outcomes).Discussion. Pet owner sense of responsibility and control are two central issues to the decision to neuter their pets. Understanding how pet owners feel about topics such as pet neutering, can help improve initiatives aimed at emphasising the responsibility of population control of cats and dogs.

Background: Failure among pet owners to neuter their pets results in increased straying and overpopulation problems. Variations in neutering levels can be explained by cultural differences, differences in economic status in rural and urban locations, and owner perceptions about their pet. There are also differences between male and female pet owners. There is no research pertaining to Irish pet owner attitudes towards neutering their pets. This paper identified the perceptions of a sample of Irish cat and dog owners that influenced their decisions on pet neutering. Methods: This study was conducted using social science (qualitative) methods, including an interview-administered survey questionnaire and focus group discussions. Data was coded and managed using Nvivo 8 qualitative data analysis software Results: Focus groups were conducted with 43 pet (cats and dogs) owners. Two major categories relating to the decision to neuter were identified: (1) enabling perceptions in the decision to neuter (subcategories were: controlling unwanted pet behaviour; positive perceptions regarding pet health and welfare outcomes; perceived owner responsibility; pet function; and the influence of veterinary advice), and (2) disabling perceptions in the decision to neuter (subcategories were: perceived financial cost of neutering; perceived adequacy of existing controls; and negative perceptions regarding pet health and welfare outcomes). Discussion: Pet owner sense of responsibility and control are two central issues to the decision to neuter their pets. Understanding how pet owners feel about topics such as pet neutering, can help improve initiatives aimed at emphasising the responsibility of population control of cats and dogs.

Early neutering has become an increasingly popular way of controlling cat overpopulation, particularly in the United States and, more recently, in shelter medicine in the UK. Therefore it is important to understand the many physiological differences between the paediatric and adult feline patient and the safest way of anaesthetising these patients.

Background: Failure among pet owners to neuter their pets results in increased straying and overpopulation problems.Variations in neutering levels can be explained by cultural differences, differences in economic status in rural and urban locations, and owner perceptions about their pet.There are also differences between male and female pet owners.There is no research pertaining to Irish pet owner attitudes towards neutering their pets.This paper identified the perceptions of a sample of Irish cat and dog owners that influenced their decisions on pet neutering.Methods: This study was conducted using social science (qualitative) methods, including an interview-administered survey questionnaire and focus group discussions.Data was coded and managed using Nvivo 8 qualitative data analysis software Results: Focus groups were conducted with 43 pet (cats and dogs) owners.Two major categories relating to the decision to neuter were identified: (1) enabling perceptions in the decision to neuter (subcategories were: controlling unwanted pet behaviour; positive perceptions regarding pet health and welfare outcomes; perceived owner responsibility; pet function; and the influence of veterinary advice), and (2) disabling perceptions in the decision to neuter (subcategories were: perceived financial cost of neutering; perceived adequacy of existing controls; and negative perceptions regarding pet health and welfare outcomes).Discussion: Pet owner sense of responsibility and control are two central issues to the decision to neuter their pets.Understanding how pet owners feel about topics such as pet neutering, can help improve initiatives aimed at emphasising the responsibility of population control of cats and dogs.

Neutering of cats has been associated with significant weight gain in the weeks following surgery. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a moderate fat, low-energy dry expanded diet in reducing weight gain in growing pet cats when fed as part of a weight-control regimen over the 6 months post-neutering. Cats in participating primary care veterinary hospitals were enrolled at neutering and assigned to receive one of the two dietary treatments based on the hospital of origin. Owners of cats in the treatment group were instructed to feed the trial diet at maintenance (324·7 kJ/kg BW(0·711) per d). Instructions for the control group were to feed the cat's regular diet according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Body weight and condition were evaluated by veterinarians at enrolment, 2-weeks, and 1-4 and 6 months after surgery. Body condition score (five-point scale) was compared between enrolment and each subsequent visit, controlling for enrolment age and sex. Percentage change in body weight was evaluated via multivariate mixed modelling to account for repeated measures. A total of 187 cats (eighty-seven females and 100 males) with a mean age of 5·2 (sd 0·8) months and mean weight of 2·8 (sd 0·6) kg from fifty-one hospitals completed the trial. The odds of being scored as overweight were 4·1 times as great for cats in the control v. treatment groups (95% CI 2·1, 8·2). Percentage change in body weight differed significantly with enrolment age (P=0·007) and approached significance between diet groups (P=0·08). Cats fed the trial diet had a significantly reduced incidence of overweight in the 6 months following neutering.

BackgroundThe parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is recognized as one of the major foodborne pathogens with a high human disease burden. To control T. gondii infections in pigs, European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) advises serological testing of pigs and audits of pig farms to identify risk factors for T. gondii infection. In line with this approach, the aim of the current study was to assess the effectiveness and costs of intervention measures implemented to reduce the T. gondii seroprevalence on finishing pig farms in the Netherlands. A crossover clinical trial was conducted at five case farms were their own control and the cross-over moment was the implementation of interventions to reduce risk factors. Each of the case farms had a farm-specific intervention strategy with one principal intervention measure (neutering of cats, professional rodent control or covering food storage).ResultsAll finishing pig farms (n = 5) showed a reduction in T. gondii seroprevalence within one year of implementing the intervention strategy. Cat neutering (n = 3) and feed coverage (n = 1) showed statistically significant reductions in seroprevalence. Rodent control (n = 1) did not show a statistically significant reduction. The estimated reduction in seroprevalence in response to the neutering of cats and feed coverage were 67 and 96 %, respectively.ConclusionsOur work demonstrates that it is possible to reduce the within-farm T. gondii seroprevalence within one year after interventions were implemented to reduce T. gondii risk factors. This information is essential and encouraging for policy makers, food business operators, and farmers to implement in their risk assessment and to apply to food safety control systems.

Spontaneous hormonal variations in male cats following gonadectomy

The aim of this study was to analyse cat breeders' application of and opinions concerning early-age (ie, <16 weeks old) neutering in cats in France. This study analysed a retrospective cohort. A web survey was designed for French cat breeders and was published in June 2017 on the Facebook page of Livre Officiel des Origines Félines, the official feline studbook for purebred cats born in France. The early-age cat neutering habits, opinions and expectations of breeders were collected. A total of 999 breeders returned the questionnaire. Almost half of the breeders (49%) reported consistently requesting neutering of kittens before selling them, 32% claimed that they never requested it and the remaining 19% reported that they inconsistently requested it. When performed, 83% of breeders had kittens neutered at 12 weeks of age; for a large majority of these breeders (94%), the neutering was undertaken on their own initiative. Various reasons for neutering were provided, including the prevention of uncontrolled breeding, short- and long-term welfare benefits for neutered cats, and practical and economic reasons. Reported incidents related to early-age neutering were scarce. Nearly half of breeders who did not apply early-age neutering to their kittens cited a veterinarian's unwillingness to perform the surgery as a cause. A large majority of surveyed French cat breeders supported early-age neutering that would occur before kittens were sold, most of the time at the age of 3 months. These breeders reported high satisfaction with early-age neutered cats, with a low number of incidents and accidents reported.

Background: Failure among pet owners to neuter their pets results in increased straying and overpopulation problems.Variations in neutering levels can be explained by cultural differences, differences in economic status in rural and urban locations, and owner perceptions about their pet.There are also differences between male and female pet owners.There is no research pertaining to Irish pet owner attitudes towards neutering their pets.This paper identified the perceptions of a sample of Irish cat and dog owners that influenced their decisions on pet neutering.Methods: This study was conducted using social science (qualitative) methods, including an interview-administered survey questionnaire and focus group discussions.Data was coded and managed using Nvivo 8 qualitative data analysis software Results: Focus groups were conducted with 43 pet (cats and dogs) owners.Two major categories relating to the decision to neuter were identified: (1) enabling perceptions in the decision to neuter (subcategories were: controlling unwanted pet behaviour; positive perceptions regarding pet health and welfare outcomes; perceived owner responsibility; pet function; and the influence of veterinary advice), and (2) disabling perceptions in the decision to neuter (subcategories were: perceived financial cost of neutering; perceived adequacy of existing controls; and negative perceptions regarding pet health and welfare outcomes).Discussion: Pet owner sense of responsibility and control are two central issues to the decision to neuter their pets.Understanding how pet owners feel about topics such as pet neutering, can help improve initiatives aimed at emphasising the responsibility of population control of cats and dogs.

Background: Failure among pet owners to neuter their pets results in increased straying and overpopulation problems. Variations in neutering levels can be explained by cultural differences, differences in economic status in rural and urban locations, and owner perceptions about their pet. There are also differences between male and female pet owners. There is no research pertaining to Irish pet owner attitudes towards neutering their pets. This paper identified the perceptions of Irish cat and dog owners that influenced their decisions on pet neutering. Results: Focus groups were conducted with 43 pet (cats and dogs) owners. Two major categories relating to the decision to neuter were identified: (1) enabling perceptions in the decision to neuter (subcategories were: controlling unwanted pet behaviour; positive perceptions regarding pet health and welfare outcomes; perceived owner responsibility; pet function; and the influence of veterinary advice), and (2) disabling perceptions in the decision to neuter (subcategories were: perceived financial cost of neutering; perceived adequacy of existing controls; and negative perceptions regarding pet health and welfare outcomes). Conclusions: Pet owner sense of responsibility and control are two central issues. Understanding how pet owners feel about topics such as pet neutering, can help improve initiatives aimed at emphasising the responsibility of population control of cats and dogs.

Weight-management advice needed with cat neutering