Anyone here neuter their own tomcats?

[tinknal]

How did it go, and what did you use? I've done plenty of cow-critters and swine. Seems to me like it would be doing a tiny calf.

[shakeytails in KY]

I asked my horse vet about it once. He said to stick the cat head-first into a tall rubber boot to restrain it and go for it. I never had the guts to do it though as I've only castrated a few piglets and wasn't sure enough of myself to try.

[Trixie]

Some man got arrested and charged with animal cruelty for doing that.

[Yldrosie]

It's pretty easy. I usually wrap them in a towel, then put them on the floor with both knees holding the towel down, and a friend holding their hind legs. Takes just a second, and the younger the better. As soon as the testicles come down and are easily found. Never do my own cats tho, they don't forget who did it to them and stay mad..

[tooltime]

Originally Posted by shakeytails in KY

I asked my horse vet about it once. He said to stick the cat head-first into a tall rubber boot to restrain it and go for it. I never had the guts to do it though as I've only castrated a few piglets and wasn't sure enough of myself to try.

The boot method works well. Just did two toms last weekend.

I'd beg to differ about them staying mad. These two came up to the dish to eat that night and I was petting them the next day.

[danoon]

Well, I'd sure hold it against you and I bet you'd have a hard time getting my head in that boot.

[CountryGoalie]

Originally Posted by danoon

Well, I'd sure hold it against you and I bet you'd have a hard time getting my head in that boot.

LOL. I would imagine so.

[HilltopDaisy]

Ken S. has quite a story about the time he did it. Hopefully he'll share it again. It did not go well.

[GrannieD]

I have done cats for years,but I'd watch WHO I told about it just because of animal rights people...My vet (horse vet)told me that the trauma of the vet office & the annistetic was more danger to a cat than doing it myself...I put them into a sleeve of a winter jacket..suede works very well...I've done it all by myself by drawing the cat into the sleeve by putting my hand in & taking a hold of the front feet & pulling him in..The sleeve has to be tight so they can't go out the small end...if not small enough put your knee on it..You stuff the hind feet/legs into the large end as far as you can & put your elbow on the hind end..(they are on a table or as high as a washing machine/dryer..You do each teste by making a cut down the length of the teste..pop it out & pull the cord tight & shave it in 2..I takes less time than telling it...easily less than a minute for the whole thing..If its a tame cat in the first place they have no thought of "who done it" I put peroxide on before & after...Cat will be purring right away... I have a visiting tom right now that will go home as a nicer fellow if I can talk him into it..the neighbors can't afford $60 to get him done & he tramps all over coming home with worse sores than he will get if I talk to him......I've done my own pigs for years with info from a ladies forum on raising pigs..its the same deal ..GrannieD

[HeatherDriskill]

We've used bull bands on cats before. No problemo. However, my mom tried it on a dog and it didn't work right. We had to take him into the vet and get it fixed. Don't try it on a dog. Definitley.

[GrannieD]

It is so much better for the cat to just use the scalpel & be done with it..The way they are configured I can't see using a band...GrannieD

[copperkid3]

Originally Posted by HeatherDriskill

We've used bull bands on cats before. No problemo. However, my mom tried it on a dog and it didn't work right. We had to take him into the vet and get it fixed. Don't try it on a dog. Definitley.

*******************

Haven't ever done a cat before, but did band our Australian shepherd at 6 months of age. At 8 months we took him into the vet for his rabies shots and heartworm prevention medicine. The vet had read the paperwork filled out prior to the exam and "knew" that this was his first visit.......she reached underneath and was "feeling around" and I saw this strange look come over her face.......then she quietly mentioned, "He's been fixed hasn't he?" I just answered, "Yup!" Nothing more was said........it healed cleanly; as good as; .....NO, better than a vet could do it.

[tyusclan]

Originally Posted by HeatherDriskill

We've used bull bands on cats before. No problemo. However, my mom tried it on a dog and it didn't work right. We had to take him into the vet and get it fixed. Don't try it on a dog. Definitley.

We had some friends who banded one of their dogs, and it didn't go well either. He finally healed and made it ok, but it was not a pretty sight.

[tinknal]

Originally Posted by Yldrosie

It's pretty easy. I usually wrap them in a towel, then put them on the floor with both knees holding the towel down, and a friend holding their hind legs. Takes just a second, and the younger the better. As soon as the testicles come down and are easily found. Never do my own cats tho, they don't forget who did it to them and stay mad..

I'm not particularly fond of them, so them not liking me is certainly not a deal killer..........LOL

[tinknal]

So, just to be clear, when you put them in the boot/sleeve/towel do you put the hind legs in, or out?

[Macybaby]

We do ours, a friend showed us how. I put on good gloves, as I hold the cat, get a good hold of the scruff and give him something he can dig his front claws into and stort of stretch him back. Get a finger between the back legs and hold them. This is important, as having a figure between them keep you from twisting them. DH does makes a quick slice with the scalpel, pops out the "Jewel" gives a bit of a pull and cuts the cords. Then he does the second. A bit of spray to keep the flys off, and I let go of the cat.

Once I have the cat in position, this whole thing takes about 15 seconds, maybe less. Cats have always been way madder about me confining them than anything else, though they will yowl when the cut is made. As soon as I let go, they usually turn around and come right back for petting and attention. So far, not had any complications, but we've only done about 7. Don't have any fertile females around right now.

These are barn cats, and I think the trama of being crated and hauled to the vet would be way worse than the few seconds they endure this way. I had one favorite male die from a bad reaction to being put to sleep. He had a respitory problem, and I was very concerned about him being put under. Vet assured me he would be fine. End result, I was $200 and one cat poorer.

Cathy

[largentdepoche]

I think of cats as a part of the family...I couldn't ever do that.

But if you have the brass..er..bodily accessories..go for it lol.

Kat

[dcross]

Originally Posted by tinknal

So, just to be clear, when you put them in the boot/sleeve/towel do you put the hind legs in, or out?

Well, which end are you trying to nueter?

[sancraft]

Our animal shelter offers a low cost spay and neuter for barn cats. It's only $25.00 to neuter and that includes distemper, rabies, antibiotics and pain shots. They may have something like that in your area. They will do it for free if you simply don't have the money.

[idontno]

Just put the cat under a car wheel and pull the tail and butt thru the center hole.They will never know what happened.....idontno