# Desexing

**The Individual Care Plan will be emailed to you usually prior to collection of your new foster/s. If the health or age of the fosters is different to what was expected, the Individual Care Plan may need to be revised.**

Please ensure that the cat/kitten's flea and worm treatment are all up to date and notify your Coordinator via the Vet Booking Request form when your kitten has reached the suitable desexing weight (males 1.0 kg, females 1.2 kg.)\\

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Minimum Desexing weight is 1.2kg for females and 1.0 kg for males
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## Booking the Appointment

A desexing vet booking request should be made at least two weeks prior to the selected date, to ensure there is availability and time for the Vet Booking team to make the booking.

You can select one or more preferred vets, and preferred dates. When your kitten or kittens have reached at least 1.0kg, you can send a Request for Vet Booking via the online form.

The Vet Booking team will communicate with you if a booking on your preferred day is not available.

You will receive a booking confirmation email once it has been scheduled.

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### Confirming Foster Weight and Health

If your foster/s weight is till not at, or very close to the 1.0/1.2 kg milestone, or your cat has recent health issues, let your Cat Coordinator know in the days before the appointment date. This may require a delay in the desexing appointment.&#x20;

## Day of Surgery

#### Before the operation

Provide your cat with a light meal and remove all access to food the night before surgery. On the day of the operation, your cat should not be provided with any food, however they should always have access to water.

#### Taking the kittens to the Vet

You will be given a nominated drop off time - please do not be late, or if the delay is unavoidable contact the vet surgery directly. This allows the vet surgery to revise the operation schedule for the day. Drop off time is usually around 8 - 8:30 am.

Take your foster/s in a cat carrier which you will leave at the vets. You may need to wait until the vet has checked the kittens to make sure they are healthy, the required weight for desexing and that the sex is as stated.

You will also need to chat to the reception staff to make sure each foster is easily identifiable, or provide a detailed description. The staff will make sure they have your details and will let you know an approximate collection time.

#### The operation procedure

1. Operating theater – desexing is a surgical procedure performed in sterile conditions in a dedicated theatre
2. Anesthesia – a sedative is administered, followed by a general anaesthetic
3. Surgery – this is an intra-abdominal surgery requiring skin incisions and suturing
4. Recovery – cats are carefully observed until they wake from the anaesthetic and are discharged when it is safe for them to leave
5. After care at home – this includes restricting vigorous exercise, checking the wound daily and avoiding baths
6. Suture removal – a free procedure at the vet, typically done 10 days after the operation

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### &#x20;Collection

The vet surgery will call you to let you  know when surgery has been completed and provide a window of time when the foster/s can be collected.&#x20;

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