Monday, September 1, 2008

Taking Your Cats Testicules

i have to neuter Grendel. i know i have to neuter him because everyone on the planet, including their grandmother and the old man on the corner is telling me i have to. plus i know i have to. we've been making plans since there was no doubt he was a boy. i just have to choose the right place. i don't want to wait too long, but i don't want to do it too early. i've never had to neuter a cat before, i've never had to spade one for that matter either.

i decided to read about a male cats sexual maturity. i've still got a few months, but i can tell he's seems a little more than frisky lately. i think he's in love with his stepsister Artemis. Morrigan adopted Artemis when she was less than 3 months old. Grendel's a dirty kitty...but he can't help himself.

i nearly swallowed my tongue upon reading some information regarding the procedure. for some stupid reason i didn't realize they take off the testicles. i suppose i thought his little bits would still be in place after he was neutered. the other day i saw Gauchos (Argentinian Cowboys) remove the testicles from a male calf. there is no anesthetic for this of course. it's a ranch and they've done this for hundreds of years. they twist it's head around at an unnatural angle so as to tip the bull on it's side and as it struggles against the Gauchos one of the men come around the back, takes it's testicles into his hand and simply butchers them off. the little bull screeches and moos and wails like you've never heard an animal wail. have you ever imagined a cow crying? can you ever imagine what something like that sounds like? it's horrific.

i don't know about you, but i like my meat happy. of course, the treatment of bulls wasn't what this was about. this was about Grendel and i think when i realized they were taking his little meat and veg when i take him to the vet i got a little upset. it feels like i would be disfiguring him. like Grendel wouldn't be Grendel anymore. i understand the responsibility i have in making this happen. i couldn't allow myself to keep a male cat with 4 non spayed females in the house. but he's my little Grendel and this little kitten has brought me so much joy this year. i look forward to coming home everyday because he and my husband are standing by the door waiting to greet me each and every day. he hugs me and craves attention and loves it when i hug him back, he even purrs the instant i pick him up. not all cats like that.

i know it's unlikely, but i'm afraid that he won't be the same after a procedure like this. i'm almost afraid to take him to the vet myself for fear that he'll associate me with pain. what if he feels it? what if they use too little anesthetic or too much? i don't know what too expect and although i know i'm putting far too much thought into it Grendel is just too important to me to take this lightly.

it's not going to happen right now. in fact i think i still have a two to three months before i have to worry. still, right now, i don't exactly feel proud of myself for wanting to be a responsible pet owner. seriously, it's easier to not spay your female than not spay a male. males love to roam, fight and pee everywhere to assert their territory. females have no issues with being stuck indoors. not really. i've owned cats since i was 10 and i personally never had any problems with cat pregnancies until the last couple of years.

that's what happens when you let irresponsible people into your home. Grendel is the only kitten that i've ever "bred" successfully, not that i was trying to breed my queens. he's also the only litter i ever plan on keeping ever again. i'm maxed out. there's no possible way for me to ever take on another cat. according to my calculations i'll be cat free in the year 2028-2033 if my last cat lives 20-25 years. Morrigan is about 8 maybe?

i don't know why i'm even talking about this. i think i'm still upset. poor little Grendy testes, the vet is going to take his manhood and i'm going to let him. i have no choice...my heart is breaking for him.

why? when i know it's the right thing to do?

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