Glossary

Spay

The surgery that removes a female cat's ovaries, and usually the uterus, so she can no longer become pregnant or go into heat.

Also called: spaying, ovariohysterectomy, ovariectomy, sterilizing a female cat

Spaying is an operation done under general anesthesia in which a vet removes a female cat's ovaries and most often the uterus. In some clinics the ovaries alone are removed. The cat can no longer become pregnant, and she no longer goes through heat, the repeated cycles that cause loud calling, restlessness and attempts to escape.

The surgery also removes the risk of pyometra, a dangerous womb infection, and cats spayed young have a much lower risk of mammary cancer. It helps cut the number of unwanted litters, which is one reason shelters and trap-neuter-return programs spay every cat they can. Many vets perform the operation from around four to six months of age, and some shelters spay earlier. Ask your vet which age suits your cat.

After the operation, most cats go home the same day. The vet gives instructions on rest, an e-collar and checking the incision. Call the clinic if the wound is open, red, swollen or leaking, if the cat is very sleepy, vomits repeatedly or stops eating. Spayed cats gain weight more easily, so ask your vet about food and play, and read about obesity before it becomes a problem.

Last reviewed November 7, 2026

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Related terms

Neuter The surgery that removes a male cat's testicles so he cannot father kittens, with fewer urges to roam, fight and spray. Pyometra A life-threatening infection of the uterus that affects unspayed female cats, usually within weeks after a heat. Mammary cancer Cancer of a female cat's milk glands, usually malignant, and far less likely in cats spayed when young. Anesthesia The medically controlled loss of consciousness and pain sensation that lets a vet perform surgery, dental work or imaging safely. Cryptorchid A male cat with one or both testicles that have not moved down into the scrotum, staying in the groin or abdomen. Microchip A rice-grain-sized implant under a cat's skin that carries a number a scanner can read, linking the cat to its owner's details in a registry.

Related guides

Microchipping your cat What a microchip is, how it is put in, why registration matters more than the chip, and how the rules differ by place. Trap-neuter-return explained How trap-neuter-return works for community cats, what happens at each step, how to help safely, and where local rules or limits apply. Spay and neuter: what to ask your vet about timing When kittens are usually spayed or neutered, why timing matters, what to ask your vet, what recovery looks like and which signs after surgery need a call.