Useful Info

Benefits of Spaying (females):

  • No heat cycles, therefore males will not be attracted
  • Less desire to roam
  • Risk of mammary gland tumors, pyometra infection, ovarian and/or uterine cancer is reduced or eliminated, especially if done before the first heat cycle
  • Reduces number of unwanted cats/kittens/dogs/puppies
  • Helps dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives

Benefits of Neutering (males):

  • Reduces or eliminates risk of spraying and marking
  • Less desire to roam, therefore less likely to be injured in fights or auto accidents
  • Risk of testicular cancer is eliminated and decreases incidence of prostate disease
  • Reduces number of unwanted cats/kittens/dogs/puppies
  • Decreases aggressive behavior, including dog bites
  • Helps dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives

Top 3 Reasons to Spay and Neuter

  • It helps to reduce companion animal overpopulation. Most countries have a surplus of companion animals and are forced to euthanize or disregard their great suffering. The surplus is in the millions in the United States. Cats are 45 times as prolific, and dogs 15 times as prolific, as humans. They do not need our help to expand their numbers; they need our help to reduce their numbers until there are good homes for them all.
  • Sterilization of your cat or dog will increase his/her chance of a longer and healthier life. Altering your canine friend will increase his life an average of 1 to 3 years, felines, 3 to 5 years. Altered animals have a very low to no risk of mammary gland tumors/cancer, prostate cancer, perianal tumors, pyometra, and uterine, ovarian and testicular cancers.
  • Sterilizing your cat/dog makes him/her a better pet, reducing his/her urge to roam and decreasing the risk of contracting diseases or getting hurt as they roam. Surveys indicate that as many as 85% of dogs hit by cars are unaltered. Intact male cats living outside have been shown to live on average less than two years. Feline Immunodeficiency Syndrome is spread by bites and intact cats fight a great deal more than altered cats.

Additional Benefits:

  • Spay and neuter is the only proven solution to our area’s pet overpopulation problem. The more pets that are fixed, the fewer pets end up in our local shelters or on the streets.
  • Your community will also benefit. Unwanted animals are becoming a very real concern in many places. Stray animals can easily become a public nuisance, soiling parks and streets, ruining shrubbery, frightening children and elderly people, creating noise and other disturbances, causing automobile accidents, and sometimes even killing livestock or other pets.
    – The American Veterinary Medical Association
  • The capture, impoundment and eventual destruction of unwanted animals costs taxpayers and private humanitarian agencies over a billion dollars each year. As a potential source of rabies and other less serious diseases, they can be a public health hazard.
    – The American Veterinary Medical Association

*list courtesy of SpayUSA.org*

Spay Memphis accepts feral/community/outside cats (in live, humane traps ONLY) Tuesday-Thursday between 7:30-8:30 am. A maximum of 5 can be brought per trapper or TNR group each day, and no more than 5 PER VEHICLE, regardless of how many trappers are in said vehicle. Each cat must be in an individual trap. The cost of each cat is $35 and includes the spay or neuter, rabies vaccine, pain injection, ear tip, and penicillin shot. 

Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), the humane approach to addressing feral & community cat populations, works. It saves cats’ lives and is effective. TNR improves the lives of cats, addresses community concerns, reduces complaints about cats, and stops the breeding cycle. TNR improves the co-existence between outdoor cats and humans in our shared environment. TNR balances the needs and concerns of the human communities in which many feral cats live. People don’t want cats rounded up and killed. They want to see cat populations stabilized and appreciate when the mating behaviors of cats are brought into check through spaying and neutering. With TNR, adult cats—spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and eartipped—are returned to the colony to live out their lives in their outdoor home. (source: Alley Cat Allies)

What is a feral cat?

A feral cat is a cat that exists in a wild or untamed state. Human contact is very stressful for them so they often become aggressive or extremely fearful. They usually live in colonies near any food source they can find; in neighborhoods, alleyways, apartment complexes, behind restaurants, on college/hospital campuses, etc.

Feral/community/stray cats can be dangerous since so many are unsocialized and should be handled as such with care and respect. That is why we require all feral/community/outside cats to be brought in for surgery in a humane trap, and they must leave in the same trap they came in. We also only allow one cat per trap.

Can I bring in an outside, but friendly, cat as a feral?

Yes, we let you decide if your cat should be brought in as a feral or domestic cat. If you have an outside, but friendly, cat that you would like to have spayed/neutered as a feral cat, please note that all feral cat policies still apply. However, please do not bring your inside, house cat in with this program as it takes advantage of donor funds used to discount this program, in addition to being uncomfortable for your pet cat. The cat must be in a live, humane trap (like a raccoon trap) and ear tipping is mandatory to receive feral cat pricing. Only one cat is allowed per trap. 

How do I get a feral cat trap?

You can purchase a trap at any hardware store or rent a humane trap at our clinic for a deposit of $75, cash or check only. This deposit is completely refundable as long as the trap is brought back in working order. If you use a check for the deposit, this check is not cashed unless the trap is not returned. We allow traps to be rented for 6 weeks. Feral cat traps can only be rented Tuesday – Friday between the hours of 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. as to not infer with our check-in and check-out times. Please note: You cannot bring a cat in a carrier or kennel, then transfer to a trap at our clinic. Cats MUST ARRIVE in a trap to be brought in as a feral cat.

How can I make an appointment for a feral cat?

Appointments for feral cats are not accepted. We accept feral walk-ins Tuesday through Thursday between 7:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. No more than 5 feral cats per client, per day will be accepted.

Why do you cut off the tip of the feral cat’s ear?

Eartipping is the universal sign of an altered feral cat. While the cat is sedated for the spay or neuter surgery, a quarter of an inch is removed from the tip of the left ear in a straight line cut. The procedure is swift and painless and healing is rapid. For more information on eartipping, please visit https://www.alleycat.org/resources/feral-cat-protocol-eartipping/.

What to do if you have a colony of feral/community cats living in your neighborhood?

First, make sure someone is regularly feeding them and leaving clean, fresh water. If someone is taking care of them and you are looking to stop the constant reproducing, talk to your neighbors and make a plan! You’ll need to find neighbors to help trap, transport to/from our clinic, and recover post-surgery until they can be rereleased. Once you have a plan, you can set up a neighborhood TNR account at our clinic for your neighbors to donate to cover the cost of the cats’ spay/neuter. Email bpace@spaymemphis.org to set up a neighborhood account.

Why can’t I bring my feral/community cat in a regular cat carrier?

Feral/community cats must be brought in individual traps for a few reasons. First and most important, most feral and community cats are not friendly/socialized and if they are in a trap, they can be sedated through the trap, which is not only safer for the cat, but our staff too. Second, domestic cats in carriers are moved into a kennel for the day and if you bring a feral cat in a carrier, we do not have kennel space available to move them into since they do not have an appointment. Third, requiring feral/community cats to only come in live, humane traps is standard and best practice protocols set forth by all national veterinary associations and TNR professionals.

Why do cats have to be in individual traps? 

Feral/community cats are sedated through the trap and are typically not happy about being injected. Having another cat in the trap would be potentially unsafe if another cat was sharing the trap. Live, humane traps are also not typically large enough for more than one adult cat to fit inside comfortably. Spay Memphis will not accept a trap with more than one cat inside the trap.

Trap Example Photos (feral/community cats WILL NOT be accepted in a cat carrier or kennel):


 

 

 

 

What Are Spaying and Neutering?

Spaying and neutering are surgical procedures performed by veterinarians that prevent cats and dogs from breeding by removing their reproductive organs. When a female pet is spayed (also called an ovariohysterectomy), the ovaries, fallopian tubes and uterus are removed. When a male pet is neutered, the testicles are removed, but the scrotum remains.

“Fixing,” “altering” and “sterilizing” are other common terms used to reference spaying or neutering of both female and male pets.

What Are the Health Benefits of Spaying and Neutering?

Spayed females are less likely to develop breast cancer and are no longer at risk for ovarian or uterine cancer.  Neutered males are no longer at risk for testicular cancer. By neutering males, you also reduce the risk of injury and disease, since intact males have a natural instinct to roam and get into fights with other animals that may have contagious diseases or parasites. For even more benefits, check out our spay/neuter benefits page.

Why Should I Spay or Neuter My Pet?

In addition to the many health benefits, spaying or neutering your pet ensures that he or she won’t contribute to the pet overpopulation problem. Even a pet that lives indoors may escape and produce kittens or puppies if not sterilized. Each year, millions of homeless animals are euthanized or end up in shelters due to a lack of good homes.

What Happens When My Pet Is Spayed or Neutered? Will He or She Act Differently?

After sterilization, your pet may be calmer and less likely to exhibit certain behaviors like wandering, spraying, marking, or even aggression, but his or her personality will not change. Contrary to myth, a fixed pet does not become lazy and overweight. Neutered males do require fewer calories to maintain their body weight, so talk to your vet about adjusting your pet’s dietary needs.

Can You Spay a Female Dog or Cat While it is Pregnant or in Heat?

Yes, if a pet comes into our clinic pregnant or in heat, they will be spayed. Research shows there is not a higher risk in spaying an in heat or pregnant pet. For pregnant pets, this will result in termination of the fetuses. Although rare, the veterinarian on duty reserves the right to refuse surgery if he/she deems it unsafe for the pet.

My Dog is Nursing. Can She Be Spayed?

You must wait until the puppies are six weeks old and weaned before the mother can be spayed. We can perform surgery on lactating females, but it is safer for them if their milk has dried up completely.

My Cat is Nursing. Can She Be Spayed?

Yes. We are able to safely spay lactating cats. Ideally, you will want to wait until the kittens are at least 3-4 weeks old. We ask that the day of your appointment please let us know the cat is lactating and how old the kittens are. We also ask you make yourself available to pick your cat up early so she can get back to nursing her kittens, especially if they are young. The veterinarian may choose to do a flank (side) spay on your cat, which lets the kittens safely nurse.

Please note we will not flank spay your cat if she has point coloration (siamese, ragdoll, etc).

Why is There a Tattoo Near the Incision Site?

A permanent tattoo will identify that your pet has been spayed or neutered after the incision has healed. This is mandatory.

What Should I Do to Keep My Dog or Cat from Licking His or Her Incision?

All dogs will go home with an e-collar which is included in the surgery cost. Cats generally do not need one but may be purchased at our clinic for $5 or can be purchased at any pet store.

Do You Declaw?

No.

Can I Bring My Pet in for Just a Rabies Shot?

We are currently offering appointments for vaccines, microchips, etc. Please view the options available and schedule under the Fix Your Pet tab.

I’m Not Close to Memphis, Do You Have Multiple Locations?

We have one clinic – located at 3787 Summer Avenue, Memphis, TN 38122. For spay/neuter options in TN, visit www.spaytennessee.org. For spay/neuter options in MS, visit https://www.msspan.org/locate_services. For all other states, visit https://www.unitedspayalliance.org/.