In colloquial speech, even those people who consider themselves avid cat lovers confuse the concepts of “castration” and “sterilization”.
It is believed that the first term can only be used in relation to male cats, while the second is suitable for female cats.
In fact, castration refers to a surgical procedure that removes the gonads.
If we are talking about "representatives of the stronger sex" in the feline world, then the testicles are subject to removal. In cats, the ovaries and uterus are removed.
During sterilization, the doctor ligates the male cat's vas deferens.
Spayed females have their fallopian tubes tied.
Thus, the cat becomes incapable of conceiving, but she will still go into heat.
Another difference between sterilization and castration in cats is that the procedure does not protect against possible inflammation of the uterus (pyometra). The possibility of developing ovarian cysts is not eliminated. The risk of developing tumors in the animal is higher.
Due to these differences, veterinarians call castration a more beneficial procedure for both sexes.
