This article was co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
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If you’ve got a stray who visits you often or you’re considering adopting a cat, you may be trying to figure out if he’s neutered or not. Luckily, there a plenty of signs you can look for to figure out if a cat has been snipped. In this article, we’ll show you everything you need to know about identifying neutered cats.
Things You Should Know
- Spot neutered male strays by looking for a notch missing from their ear, a tattoo on their ear, or a tattoo on their stomach.
- Unneutered male cats will still have their testicles. They will also have puffy cheeks and their urine will smell especially strong.
- Don’t assume you have a neutered male cat just because their testicles are gone—the cat may simply be female.
Steps
Expert Q&A
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QuestionIs it bad for a cat to get pregnant?Pippa Elliott, MRCVSDr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
VeterinarianOn the grand scale of things, there are lots of cats in need of homes, so adding more kittens is not ideal. From a health point of view, if the female is fit and healthy, and is an adult herself, then most have a healthy pregnancy and few problems giving birth. However, if you think your cat is pregnant, make some preparations such as registering with a vet (in case she has problems kittening) and read up on what to expect during the birthing process so you can spot if things go wrong.
References
- ↑ https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/outdoor-cats-faq
- ↑ https://www.petfriendlyhouse.com/why-do-some-cats-have-a-tattoo-in-their-ear/
- ↑ https://sheltermedicine.vetmed.ufl.edu/2019/10/15/tattoo-study/
- ↑ https://www.hepper.com/neutered-vs-unneutered/
- ↑ https://www.petmd.com/cat/general-health/evr_ct_how_to_determine_the_sex_of_a_kitten
- ↑ https://icatcare.org/advice/how-to-tell-the-sex-of-a-kitten/
- ↑ https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/estrus-cycles-in-cats
- ↑ https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/cat-behavior-and-training-cat-neutering-and-behavior
- ↑ https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/cat-behavior-and-training-cat-neutering-and-behavior
About This Article
To tell if a cat is neutered, start by checking to see if the tip of its ear has been clipped, which is a common sign that the cat has been neutered. Alternatively, check its inner ear for a tattoo, but be aware that the letter “M” means that the cat has been microchipped. If your cat’s ears aren’t clipped or tattooed, put on latex gloves and hold the cat securely so you can check its genital region. Then, locate its testicle sac, which is below its tail and anus and above its penis, and feel around gently. If you feel 1 or 2 hard balls inside, the cat hasn’t been neutered. For more information from our Veterinary reviewer, like how to position your cat to access its genital region, read on!