How should I prepare for my pregnant cat's delivery?

Cats can be difficult to predict when it comes to labor and delivery. The biggest thing to remember is that your cat may not want to have her kittens where you want her to. You should still try to set up a cozy delivery box for her, lined with her favorite blankets. You can put one or two of her toys in the box and spend some time petting her while she sits in the box to help her feel comfortable in it.

If she chooses this box for her delivery, you know she'll be in a safe place where you can find her. But when the time comes, her inclination may be to go off by herself into a closet, under the bed, or anywhere else she feels secluded and secure. If she's close to the end of her pregnancy, don't let her outside until after the delivery because she may run off and have the kittens somewhere you won't be able to find them.

The other thing to remember is that having and caring for kittens may not be perfectly routine and natural for her. Try to be present when she delivers so you can help if necessary, but don't intervene unless there is a problem. You may need to help her deliver a kitten, break the membrane around a kitten, or help one start breathing. The best way to learn these procedures is through demonstrations or pictures. Your veterinarian can help you learn them, or you can find a book on delivering kittens at your library or a bookstore.

Dogs' size is mostly determined by their genetics, not their hormones. Neutering does dramatically reduce the amount of testosterone in a male pup's system, which may give him a bit less muscle mass in the long run, but won't affect his height or the size of his frame. Actually, studies have shown that dogs spayed or neutered early (at 16 weeks or younger) tend to be slighter larger than those altered later in life. So no, you won't change your dog's growth by neutering him as a puppy. Plus there are a lot of advantages to neutering your pup.

Note the same applies to kittens

Is there a problem with spaying a dog that's several years old?

Answer While spaying or neutering pets before they reach adulthood is best for them, you can certainly have them spayed as adults. They'll still experience the benefits of being altered, including lower chances of reproductive tract diseases, less behavioral problems and no unwanted puppies and kittens.

As with any surgery, your dog should have some basic bloodwork performed beforehand to rule out any conditions that could make anesthesia dangerous. With these tests, the risks associated with routine surgeries like spays and neuters are small, even in older pets.

For more information, see Neutering Your Pet.

Please explain why ovary removal is necessary. I want my pet's personality to stay the same after sterilization. Won't her personality change?

Removal of both ovaries is done for several reasons in dogs and cats. Most owners want cessation of heat periods that attract male dogs and cats, which does not happen if ovaries are left in.

The other major benefit is that if a dog or cat has removal of both ovaries and uterus before the first heat cycle, then we can reduce the incidence of mammary cancer to close to zero. The additional benefit is that we almost never see ovarian cancer with the exception of rare cases in dogs kept for breeding purposes.

There are many factors to consider in selecting the correct time to spay or neuter your pet. Most veterinarians will suggest doing it shortly after the completion of puppy vaccines, which is around five months of age. In the case of male pets it may be an especially good idea to neuter them at this time before they develop bad habits, such as aggression.

To reduce the overpopulation problem in companion animals, the American Animal Hospital Association supports neutering of cats and dogs as early as eight to 16 weeks of age in animal care and control facilities.