Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 2: Checking your cat yourself
• Part 2 of 2: Using alternative methods

Since there are far too many cats in the world, it is the responsibility of a responsible cat owner to have his or her male neutered. Many male cat owners do not neuter their cat because they think it will not matter since a male cat cannot have babies. However, your cat may mate with nearby cats and contribute to the overcrowding of cats. If you are adopting an adult male and you are not sure if he has been neutered, you can learn to check if your cat has been neutered.

To step

Part 1 of 2: Checking your cat yourself

1. Keep your cat in the correct position. To check on your cat yourself, you must be able to see his buttocks to see his genitals. Hold your cat so that its butt is facing you. When you hold your cat in the correct position, hold its tail straight up so you can see its genitals. It may be a good idea to ask someone to help you if you think your cat is going to struggle while you check on him.
   • You can pet your cat's back and talk to him so that he puts his tail up on his own. This way you will not have to hold the tail yourself and your cat will be more relaxed.
   • It may also be a good idea to put on latex gloves as you will be touching your cat's genitals. Make sure the gloves are thin enough that you can still feel things with them.
2. Set your cat's fur aside if necessary. If your cat has thick fur, you may need to brush the hair to the side to see the genitals. Move the coat to the side to see under the hair at the genitals. When you brush the fur between his legs you should be able to see his penis and anus.
   • Make sure you are gentle and don't push too hard. You don't want to hurt your cat, of course.
   • If you have a short-haired cat, you may not need to complete this step as you can see the area in question without brushing the fur sideways.
   • If you have a calm or obedient cat, you may be able to do this while your cat is on its back. If you want to try this, grab your cat's scruff and turn it over. This way he will stay in the correct position and you can protect your hands and arms in case your cat attacks you and puts his nails in you.
3. See if you can see the balls. Neutering involves removing the balls from a cat. So you can feel the place to see if your cat has been neutered. Look for his scrotum. This is located under the tail and anus and above the penis. There should be a little bag there. Grab the bag and gently feel the inside. If there are hard balls in the pouch, the cat still has its balls and has not been neutered. If the pouch is soft, chances are it was recently neutered. Usually his scrotum is shaved.
   • If there is no bag to hold, your cat may have been neutered more than a month ago and the bag has become flat.
   • If you feel one ball, your cat has not been neutered.
   • This is not 100% sure that your cat has been neutered. If your cat is young, his balls may not have descended yet. He can also suffer from cryptorchidism, a condition where both balls fail to descend.
4. Measure the distance between the anus and the penis. There is another way you can check if your cat has been neutered. Hold his tail up and measure the distance between his anus and his penis. If the distance is greater than about 2 to 3 inches, chances are your cat has been neutered.
   • If you have a young cat, the distance should be about 1.5 inches.

Part 2 of 2: Using alternative methods

1. See if the castration has been recorded on paper. When you adopt a cat or kitten, it is best to ask if there are any papers. There may be a certificate or letter from a veterinarian stating that the cat has been neutered.
   • Also, don't be too afraid to ask. If you buy a cat over the Internet or through an organization that doesn't provide you with papers, ask if they know if your new cat has been neutered. This is by no means an indecent question and shows that you are a responsible owner.
2. Check his ear. If no information about him or you found a stray cat is available when adopting your cat, check inside his ear to see if he has a tattoo there. See if he has a tattoo or a cut in the ear. This usually indicates that the cat has been neutered.
   • Do note that tattooing cats in our country is hardly performed anymore. Most cats nowadays receive a microchip that can be read with a special device. Furthermore, you cannot tell whether a cat has a chip.
3. Look at the fur on his lower body. Pick up the cat and look at the fur on its lower body. If the coat is shaved or the hair appears shorter than the rest of its coat, your cat may have been neutered. A vet should shave the fur in that area before neutering, so this may be a clue.
   • This is not a foolproof method, so try another method in addition to this method.
4. Notice if his urine smells particularly bad. Neutered cats produce a particularly pungent-smelling urine. If your cat is producing very smelly urine, it may not have been neutered or recently neutered.
5. Ask your vet. If you've tried all the other methods and are still unsure, ask your vet if your cat has been neutered. Your vet will be able to tell you because he or she can check certain things on your cat's body that you may not know about yourself.
   • When you go to the appointment, let us know what it is about. If you find out that your cat has not been neutered, make an appointment to have the procedure performed as soon as possible.