Any healthy cat will sooner or later have a sexual instinct. This is a huge problem for owners if they do not intend to have a large cat family. And in most cases, cats are not taken for breeding. Therefore, responsible pet owners are proactively interested in ways to prevent unwanted pregnancy in cats. Not everyone accepts sterilization, considering it an inhumane method, an interference with nature. This category of owners is interested in contraceptive veterinary drugs for animals. Let's find out about this in detail.
About feline contraceptive injections
Veterinarians often use the drug Covinan, which helps eliminate estrus (estrus) in cats for up to six months. It is better for your pet to be given the first injection of medication by a veterinarian. Further, the owner himself can give injections to his ward. Covinan injections must be given in advance, that is, before the onset of estrus. It is strictly not recommended to inject the drug already at the stage of pregnancy or during estrus. Covinan is not a drug for preventing unwanted pregnancy.
The advantages of injection contraception are ease of use and reversibility. In other words, if the injections are canceled, the pet becomes pregnant. But the disadvantages are side effects and consequences that occur even in strong and healthy pets. Among them, for example, endometritis. Covinan is contraindicated for cats over five years of age.
Oral contraceptives
Such drugs are divided into two categories. The first is contraceptives that contain hormones and provoke false pregnancy. These are high-dose drugs. The second is modern, low-dose drugs. They reduce sexual desire in females. So, owners can use the following contraceptives:
- Gestrenol. Birth control pills minimize sexual arousal. They exclude the possibility of pregnancy.
- Libidomin. The drug prevents the onset of ovulation. It reduces manifestations of aggressiveness and agitation in cats. Libidomin is produced in capsules, tablets, and suspensions.
- Sex barrier. The contraceptive prevents unwanted pregnancy and reduces signs of heat in pets. The sex barrier is produced in drops and tablets.
- Stop-Intimate. The veterinary medicine prevents sexual arousal, reduces behavioral signs of estrus, and prevents pregnancy. This product is sold in bottles with a dispenser.
The owner should know that veterinarians consider all of the above contraceptives to be harmful to the health of animals, especially if they are used regularly. The most dangerous consequence of their use is pyometra, that is, purulent inflammation of the uterus in a pet. If its signs are not noticed in time, then the animal may simply die from blood poisoning. Side effects from the use of the medications described above occur even in naturally strong cats. For example, if, after stopping the medication, the owner decides to have offspring from a cat, it may not be viable, and the kittens may be stillborn. Veterinarians warn that such drugs can be given to their patients 1-2 times, no more, and even better for young, strong animals. If the cat is old and has chronic illnesses, then oral contraceptives can further undermine its health.
About sterilization of cats
Today this is the only correct method, approved by breeders and veterinarians, which is practiced throughout Europe. It is safe, reliable and modern. Indeed, today sterilization using laparoscopic surgery is increasingly being practiced. The procedure does not require a continuous incision. Only punctures are made through which the reproductive organs of the animal are removed. Accordingly, the rehabilitation period after such a procedure is shorter. And there is also less risk of infection.
Veterinarians recommend sterilization of females between the ages of 7 and 2 years. This is the most optimal period. However, it is important to do this before the onset of the first heat and signs of heat appear, otherwise the animal’s hypothalamus will remember the sexual instinct. This means that the cat will not be able to get pregnant, but signs of sexual behavior may appear in a mild form.
Like any living creature, cats have a natural need to reproduce. But the cat’s pregnancy or the cat’s howls in March are not always planned by the owner. This leads to a number of problems, the main one of which is where to determine the cat family.
To avoid such cases, contraception for cats or contraceptives for cats will come to the rescue. Today, there are various contraceptives for cats. These include birth control shots and pills, as well as drops that prevent cats from becoming pregnant.
Contraceptive injections for cats
Veterinarians often use the drug Covinan, which eliminates estrus for a period of up to 0.5 years. The first injection of the drug should be performed by a veterinarian; subsequent injections can be performed independently. Injections are administered well before the onset of estrus. It is strongly recommended that you do not give injections to a pregnant cat or a cat in the reproductive stage! Remember that the above-mentioned drug is not an abortion drug.
Advantages of this method:
- ease of use;
- reversibility, that is, if the injections are canceled, the cat can become pregnant;
Disadvantages of this method:
- the possibility of side effects even in absolutely healthy cats (for example, endometritis and others);
- in the case of first use, it is contraindicated for cats older than five to seven years.
Oral contraceptives
These funds are divided into 2 groups.
Group 1 - contraceptives for cats, tablets or drops containing a hormone that provokes false pregnancy in cats (high-dose).
Group 2 - modern contraceptives containing fewer hormones. These medications can reduce the need for sex in cats. They are also produced in the form of tablets or drops.
Now let’s list the specific drugs and their pharmacokinetic effects.
- Gestrenol - these contraceptive pills for cats minimize sexual arousal and eliminate the possibility of pregnancy. Available in tablet form.
- Libidomin - prevents the onset of ovulation, reduces the manifestation of aggression in cats, as well as their excited state. The drug is available in the form of tablets, suspensions or capsules.
- Sex barrier - protects against unwanted conception of cats, reduces excitability and minimizes negative consequences. Produced in tablets or drops.
- Stop-Intim - this drug suppresses the animal’s excitement, as well as behavioral signs of estrus, thereby preventing pregnancy. You can find this drug at a veterinary pharmacy, where it is sold in bottles with a dispenser.
- Counter-sex - suppresses sexual arousal. Can be found in tablets or drops.
Veterinarians consider these drugs to be harmful. This is due to the fact that drugs can have a negative effect on the health of the animal. One of the negative manifestations is a serious disease called pyometra. Doctors describe cases where even healthy cats suffered side effects from these drugs. An even greater negative effect can occur in already sick cats. In the latter case, the use of these drugs is contraindicated.
Very often, after taking these drugs, complications are so severe that they have to be treated surgically. For example, there are often cases of removal of pus that has accumulated after using the drug from the cat’s uterine cavity. However, even after surgery, the likelihood of a complete recovery is not guaranteed. Each owner of his animal must clearly determine how healthy his pet is, and what means of protection against unwanted pregnancy should be used. However, we should not forget about all the negative consequences of the oral contraceptive method. If there is a clear reluctance to have offspring in your cat, you should think about the method of castration or sterilization of the animal.
Castration and sterilization as a method of contraception in cats
Many cat owners wonder about the need for their castration or sterilization. As for castration, this procedure will help relieve the cat's owner from some problems. As is correct, veterinarians advise doing the castration procedure between 7 months and 2 years. At this stage of life, the cat is considered young and sexually mature, which is why castration at this stage is relevant. Thanks to castration, you can minimize the cat's marks around the apartment or get rid of them altogether.
Sterilizing a cat is most humane if you do not plan to breed offspring. In fact, the talk that a female animal must give birth at least once is just a myth that scientists have refuted. There are three types of sterilization: chemical, radiation and medication.
The behavior of cats changes with the onset of puberty. When a cat wants a cat, he becomes active, intrusive, begins to “mark” corners in an attempt to attract a female, behaves inappropriately, and meows loudly. It is clear that such behavior irritates the owners of the animal, and is also difficult for the cat to tolerate.
Fortunately, modern veterinary medicine can offer many effective drugs that help cats safely survive the difficult period of sexual activity. In this article we will look at what remedies (drops, tablets) for walking can help your pet.
A cat reaches sexual maturity between its eighth and tenth month of life. It is at this time that the owners of the animal learn for the first time how their pet behaves during the mating season. Most cat owners expect unpleasant surprises: the animal’s behavior usually changes for the worse. From a calm and imposing cat becomes restless, aggressive, looking for something, aiming at corners. On top of everything else, a cat, clouded by “passion,” loses its appetite, as a result of which it noticeably loses weight.
And if cats come into heat only during certain periods: as a rule, once every 4 weeks, then cats with the onset of puberty can and are ready to mate constantly. If the cat is not bred, the logical solution is either castration or reducing the animal’s desire with the help of special drugs.
We note, however, that almost all drugs for cats labeled “anti-sex” contain hormones, so such drugs should not be abused. It is worth using hormonal-based drugs only in extreme cases, when it is necessary to calm the animal, and its behavior has already gone beyond what is acceptable and causes both the owners and the cat itself severe discomfort.
Pills
The simplest option is to calm the animal using special tablets. Modern veterinary medicine can offer a choice of two types of drugs:
- calming;
- hormonal.
Calming
Sedative drugs are made on a herbal basis. Such tablets must be given to the cat several times a day so that the animal remains calm and behaves appropriately. The composition of calming tablets for cats includes the following herbs:
- mint;
- plantain;
- cottonweed;
- motherwort, etc.
Please note that the effect of sedative tablets is always temporary, and a 100% positive result in this case cannot be guaranteed. The most famous and most often used are sedative tablets such as:
- Cat Baiyun;
- Stop Stress.
Hormonal
These party remedies are much more potent and have many more side effects. These tablets contain special antihistamines, as well as hormones that significantly change the natural “course of events” in the cat’s body.
The effect of hormonal pills is aimed at reducing the production of testosterone: it is this hormone in cats (and in humans) that is responsible for aggression and sexual activity. Note that usually taking hormonal pills causes, along with a decrease in libido, drowsiness and lethargy in a cat. The most commonly used tablets in this category are:
- AntiSex;
- Sex barrier.
The tablets are used as follows: either placed under the root of the cat’s tongue, or crushed and added to food.
Video on how to give a cat a pill:
Drops
Drugs in this form are much easier to “feed” to a cat, since the liquid solution can be added to food and drink, whereas this is difficult to do with tablets. Today, in any veterinary clinic you can purchase many suitable drops, but most often they give preference to the following:
- Cat Baiyun;
- Contra sex;
- Sex barrier.
Contra-sex and Sex-barrier products operate on approximately the same principle: they are both hormonal and lead to the suppression of the animal’s sexual instinct. The drops are oil-based and are available in standard bottles equipped with a dropper dispenser. As a result of the use of these drugs, the cat temporarily loses its sexual instinct and, accordingly, stops hunting attempts. Note that the drugs are independently eliminated from the cat’s body after 15 days.
Hormonal drops Sex Barrier lead to a noticeable decrease in sexual desire in cats. The animal's excitement subsides, and its behavior becomes “socially acceptable.”
Stop intimate
This is a milder remedy than Sex Barrier, but also hormonal. The product is used when the cat’s sexual instinct is not too clearly expressed.
Gestrenol
This hormonal-based remedy will help quickly reduce your cat’s sexual activity and calm him down. Note that this drug is now chosen by both private cat owners and professional breeders. Gestrenol in the form of drops can naturally affect sexual behavior, inhibiting it. In addition, the product reduces the aggressiveness of the animal, eliminates such a side effect of the sexual instinct as “marking” the territory.
Contrasex
Hormonal preparation containing bio-additives. It is well capable of inhibiting the sexual activity of animals. Note that this product is often used as a contraceptive for cats. After its use, sexual desire temporarily disappears completely. It is recommended to start using this remedy as soon as the cat begins to show the first signs of sexual activity. The dosage of the drug is calculated depending on the body weight of the animal.
Note that when using drops, the cat is not at all deprived of the opportunity to have offspring in the future, therefore, if it is necessary to reduce the sexual instinct in breeding animals, this method can be much more humane than, say, castration.
Whatever anti-sex drops you choose for your cat, they all have approximately the same algorithm for use. Next, we will consider the main points that you should pay attention to when using such drops.
Before administering the drops, shake the bottle thoroughly: it is important that the sediment can dissolve properly.
You can drip directly onto the animal’s tongue or add the drug to the food. The last option is suitable if the animal has not completely lost its appetite. Drops should be added to food no earlier than an hour or two before feeding your pet.
Important: Within one year, you cannot conduct more than two courses of “treatment” of cats with hormonal drugs. Exceeding the recommended dosage can lead to dangerous and sometimes irreversible consequences.
Side effects
Like any medications, sedatives and especially hormonal medications for cats can also cause a variety of side effects. Thus, sedatives often cause, along with a decrease in libido, lethargy and drowsiness in the animal. The cat may temporarily become apathetic, without interest in responding to any external stimuli.
Often, under the influence of drugs, an animal's appetite decreases. During the period of taking the drugs, a cat can lose up to several kilograms of weight in this way.
Hormonal agents should be used with even greater caution. It is recommended to give your cat pills or drops with hormones only after a thorough examination of the animal at a veterinary clinic. The fact is that hormonal drugs have a lot of serious contraindications and are prohibited for use in certain diseases.
You cannot use hormonal drugs for cat desire in the following cases:
- if the cat has pathologies of the genitourinary system;
- with existing oncology;
- if the cat has not yet reached the age of sexual maturity.
Sometimes hormonal drugs lead to the following unpleasant side effects:
- an increase in the cat’s body weight;
- too much appetite;
- behavior change.
If hormonal-based drugs are used uncontrollably, the dosage is exceeded or the course is too long, dangerous “side effects” are likely to appear, such as:
- diabetes;
- pathology of the adrenal cortex (atrophy);
- disruptions in the functioning of the endocrine and genitourinary systems;
Let us additionally note that you can give hormonal drugs to a cat only once a day: exceeding the dosage is unacceptable.
Castration as a way out
If the cat’s owners are not ready to tolerate his behavior, risk the pet’s health by constantly feeding him hormonal drugs, and the cat is not valuable for breeding, the question of castration of the animal arises. This surgical operation will relieve the cat and its owners from the side effects of the animal’s sexual activity: territory marking, unbearable behavior, loud “concerts”.
Castration is the removal of a cat's sex glands: the operation leads to a complete loss of the animal's reproductive instinct. After the operation, the cat is deprived of the opportunity to have offspring for the rest of his life, but he usually stops marking his territory.
Note that castration makes cats calm and lazy; after this operation, the animal often gains weight, sometimes to the point of obesity. Therefore, after castration, it is necessary to monitor your pet’s diet especially carefully, preventing the animal from overeating.
All drugs are thus reduced to only two options: either hormonal drugs, or lighter ones - sedatives. Which one to choose must be decided on a case-by-case basis with a veterinarian: this will require an examination of the animal for existing contraindications and general health.
Cat owners, puzzled by the problem of unwanted pregnancy in their pets, today can consider several options for solving this problem.
If castration and sterilization do not count, then you should take a closer look at the issue of contraception for cats. But it should immediately be noted that contraceptive methods sometimes harm the health of animals, although they cope with the task - they prevent pregnancy. It is better to entrust the choice of drug to a veterinarian.
Contraception for cats and kittens
Injections
Before the start of estrus, females are injected with a drug (Covinan, the Netherlands), which temporarily stops estrus. The effect of the drug lasts for 5-6 months, then the cat’s reproductive function is restored. It would seem that this is a convenient method of contraception, but against the background of regular use of hormonal drugs, animals often develop ovarian cysts, endometritis, tumors of the uterus and ovaries. Anti-estrus injections are contraindicated in individuals over 5 years of age. It is unacceptable to use drugs of this type during estrus and pregnancy, which is fraught with serious consequences.
Cats are injected with a drug that suppresses the production of sex hormones for 3-6 months.
Oral contraceptives
Tablets and drops help suppress sexual desire in cats and reduce sexual arousal in cats. Males under the influence of drugs stop marking their territory, and the animals’ aggressiveness decreases. It is not safe to use drops and tablets; in addition, there are a number of contraindications and side effects.
Popular tablets and drops
- "Sex Barrier F", Russia
- "Contra-sex", Russia
- "Gestrenol", Russia
- Perlutex, Denmark
Contraindications
Oral contraceptives are contraindicated in cats with diseases of the uterus, mammary gland, metabolic disorders, animals under 10 months, pregnant (including false pregnancy) and lactating cats, and females in heat.
Pet owners should be aware that long-term use of oral contraceptives increases the risk of developing purulent inflammation of the uterus in females and causes the development of mammary glands in cats. Hormonal changes lead to a change in character, increased appetite and, as a result, an increase in body weight.
It is important to consider that injections, tablets and drops can cause diabetes, uterine cancer, breast and liver diseases. The constant use of contraceptives is also dangerous because after stopping their use, weak kittens with underdeveloped limbs and other mutations may be born in the first litter.
Non-hormonal contraceptives
During the period of sexual desire and compulsive licking, non-hormonal contraceptives ("Cat Bayun") containing plant hormones provide a calming effect. These drugs cause less harm to health, unlike hormonal drugs, and are aimed at relieving stress and reducing the animal’s aggression. Non-hormonal contraceptives are based on herbs, for example, thyme, rosemary, valerian, motherwort, mint, oregano, spruce needles, sweet clover, motherwort.
Drugs of this type are used once a month for 5 days. The effect is short-lived, but without harm to the pet’s health.
It is not recommended to use contraception for cats on an ongoing basis. These methods are temporary and should not be used more than once every 2 years. You should not give injections, tablets or drops that suppress the production of sex hormones in animals over 5 years old.
Veterinary contraceptive drug "Sex Barrier", manufactured by the Russian Federation NPK SKiFF.
A little background... I love animals. As a child I had different ones, but as you get older you understand that having an animal in the house is also a duty and responsibility. I didn't have any animals for a long time. But two years ago I really wanted a cat. I bought a Siamese kitten, pedigree, vaccinated. This breed is very smart and intelligent. My cat quickly learned to use the litter box and is very clean.
Naturally, cats also grow up :))) at about 8 months the heat began... and then naturally all the ensuing consequences... Now my cat is a little less than two years old. My cat these days is becoming not herself... she doesn’t eat, she’s nervous, restless and tries to jump out into the street (that’s why access to the balcony is closed to her these days).
We have not yet decided to sterilize the cat... perhaps later we will have offspring if we find her a worthy partner for mating...
Previously, we tried to do without this kind of drugs, we tried not to give anything, but some family members’ nerves cannot withstand her constant “whining” these days, so the veterinarian advised us first to take homeopathic drugs... but they had a weak effect. Therefore, she advised us this contraceptive sex barrier pill.
She honestly warned us that the pills are hormonal and should be given strictly according to the instructions.
The tablets look like this:
The tablets come in a package, quantity 10 pieces, oval-shaped, white-pink color with embossed SB.
Composition of tablets:
one tablet contains 0.1 mg of water-soluble mepregenol acetate and 0.001 mg of ethinyl estradiol.
Doses and method of administration:
Tablets are given when cats and bitches become sexually aroused with food or forcefully on the root of the tongue until sexual estrus completely stops.
The dose depends on the weight of the animal. My cat is small, weighs about 4 kilograms, so one tablet a day is enough for us. I give the tablet with food, grind it into powder and mix it with food. I can’t put the tablet on my tongue as written in the instructions.
This drug works quickly on my cat; after the second day of use, the cat calms down.
Since the drug is hormonal, it should not be abused, and of course, before giving it, it is better to consult a veterinarian and give it strictly according to the instructions, which is what I do.
Just like many other drugs, there are contraindications (pregnancy, breastfeeding, urolithiasis, etc.)
At the moment, we are satisfied with the contraceptive sex barrier for cats and bitches, it is inexpensive and effective, no side effects have been noticed.
