CH Cat Parent: The Spay/Neuter Clinic Wouldn’t Neuter My CH Cat

A few weeks ago, Barbara brought up a serious situation on Facebook:

Photo courtesy entheos.

“I went to get my kitty neutered today. Brought him to a spay/neuter clinic. They called me back and said they can’t do it, and I should bring him to a full service vet so they can monitor him because of his CH. Has anyone ever heard of such a thing?”

Of course it’s curious that the clinic didn’t address the issue while admitting Barbara’s CH cat, but I’m glad to see that they were honest in that they didn’t feel they could monitor him closely while under anesthesia.

Now, while CH cats can be put under anesthesia, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, it’s absolutely essential for everyone who will be working on your cat to know he has cerebellar hypoplasia. This is essential for your vet and his staff to be aware of any brain disorder prior to surgery. This may mean that the clinic you had in mind for your cat’s surgery may not feel confident in their ability to monitor a CH cat under anesthesia. This is OK, as I’m sure we’d all rather be safe than sorry.

Second, there are some types of anesthetic that are recommended, and others that should be stayed away from. According to CHcat.org, gas anesthesia, like isoflurane or sevoflurane, is best for CH cats. It allows them to recover more quickly, so there’s less of a risk of unpleasant side effects. The site recommends that ketamine should be avoided as it can stay in your cat’s system for a while and can make recovery unpleasant.

CHcat.org also recommends that your vet place an IV catheter and intubate your cat during surgery, along with monitoring your cat’s blood pressure level constantly.

If you don’t know if your clinic of choice will adhere to these standards, take a moment to chat with them. Prior to the surgery, speak to the folks at the clinic and ask any questions / voice your concerns, while making sure that everyone knows that your cat has CH.

Photo courtesy emdot.

Even once you bring your cat to the clinic to be spayed or neutered, you may want to put a card like this on the outside of his carrier.

Another option is to take a piece of masking tape or bandage tape, stick it to the front of the carrier, and on it write “I have Cerebellar Hypoplasia.” That way everyone who comes in contact in your cat (at least while he’s with his carrier) will know about his condition.

There are also a number of post-surgery tips for CH cats you should keep in mind. Most of the tips are similar for normal cats, but you may want to take extra precautions, just because you never know when a wobbly cat’s fall will tear open stitches or make a situation worse.

Click here to find a CH friendly vet near you.