Neuter Debate on Cat Community

Hi, please help settle a debate on the cat community!!!!!!!!  Once and for all, if a male kitten is neutered too early can the testicles grow back?

Thanks!

[Brian C Hurley, D.V.M.]

Once a cat is spayed or neuter, there is no regrowth of the reproductive system including the testicles.

[Jim Humphries, B.S., D.V.M.]

A castrated or neutered male cannot regrow testicles.  

[Thomas Dock, CVJ, Vet. Technician]

I wanted to let you know that I read through the entire discussion in the cat forum and I think there is a little bit of confusion going on.   As our good doctors have said, there really isn't any evidence of testicles regrowing after they have been removed.

Now...to clear up some things.   Some people are confused on their male dogs when the see two lump like objects along the shaft of the penis even after the dog was neutered.   These are the bulbous glands and they help in the "tying" of male to female dog during copulation.  These will remain despite neutering and on some dogs they are quite prominent.   This is a very common question in veterinary practice.

Next, dogs and cats can have undescended testicles, but it is generally quite apparent during surgery if you have removed one or both testicles.   Unless the second testicle is buried in the abdomen somewhere, most veterinarians are going to find that second testicle and remove it...there is not generally any "testicular material" left behind.

Occasionally, ovarian tissue is left during a spay and it can be for a variety of reasons.  Veterinarians are human and it is possible that the incision releasing the ovary was made too high,   But, the ovaries don't "regrow" although the remnant of the tissue can still affect reproductive hormones.

[zodiacqueen]

WOW, you guys are quick!  =)  Thank you so much for clearing this up!!!  And, Tom I'm shocked that your read the entire thread on the pet forum-ALL 70+ posts!!!  How long did that take ya?  =)

Anyway, I am very glad so many vets joined MH.  I've been reading some of the responses and have seen some very caring and thorough answers.  You are a huge help to all the pet owners out there!

[Jim Humphries, B.S., D.V.M.]

Tom continues to impress us all!!  

We are glad to be here as a group.  We have some outstanding doctors with many are board certified in very popular areas of specialty.  MH has been great to us and we hope to provide professional, ethical and medically accurate information to this great community.  Our group is also growing and we are expecting great things.  

Our group is also the genesis of the American Society of Veterinary Journalists (ASVJ.org) and while still being formed, we will require our members to become certified by the Board of Certification at ASVJ.  

Thanks for your nice comments.  

Dr. Jim
Veterinary Administrator

[Suzanne Hetts, PhD]

While I don't have Tom's fortitude to read all those posts, it's also possible that people may think the testicles have "grown back" if the animal continues to show sexual behavior.  This is most common when the cat has a fair amount of sexual experience prior to being neutered (which probably doesn't exactly pertain to the question you asked).  But the behavioral manifestations of mating (except ejaculation of course) can still occur in neutered/castrated animals perhaps leading to the erroneous conclusion that the testicles have magically re-appeared.

[zodiacqueen]

Thank you so much for your time in clearing up this debate, although the person debating this (NOT me) still doesn't believe you all.  Well, I tried.  I appreciate your answers and glad that all of you wonderful vets are here to answer everyone's questions.  From reading your responses, it is obvious to me that all of you love and care about pets.  That goes a long way!!!  Keep up the awesome work!!  =)