Don, or anyone who has done the cat thing with the bands--at what age can you do this? Is it feasible to do on a 1/2 grown tom? One was given to us earlier this summer, and is probably about 8 months old now. Just starting to get interested in the opposit sex it seams. This would be great, as it isn't practical to take a barn cat to the vet for a $65.00 surgery! Last one ended up costing me $650, as we left it there during our vacation and they charged us $25 per day for board as well as extra to medicate the critter daily. He had gotten into a fight the day before we left for a week, and had to have treatment for some infected bites. That cat hasn't left the property since! Jan

-- Jan in Colorado (Janice12@aol.com), September 15, 2000

Answers

I have done cats with bands.It is best and most effective to do them as kittens, as soon as the testicles have dropped enough to get a band around them- about 2-3 months.If you wait until they are a full blown tomcat,it is going to be much more unpleasant for both of you.If done as kittens, they hardly seem to mind it. I would use a strong, thin, small rubber band- not an elastrator band.If you can get the kind that are used on braces that would be ideal.at this age, you might be better off using the knife. They have a way of chewing off the bands and leaving the business half done if they are done at an older age.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), September 15, 2000.

I dont know anything about the castrating part, but I CAN relate to the high vet bills. I think that from now on, Im going to vaccinate my own pets. I know that in most states the rabies must be done by a liscened vet, but that one shot isnt all that much. But Im gonna do the distemper, ect. I ve been told you can but the shots at some Farm and Fleet stores, or through some mail order companies. Good Luck! Carrie in Wis

-- Carrie Wehler (carriew@ticon.net), September 16, 2000.

Carrie, I know that the Farm & Fleet store in Janesville usually has the cat vaccines for around $3. each. We make a special trip up there to get them. (I am just south of Rockford IL) We have a great farmer/vet here that does vaccination clinics once a month at a local feed store- $10. for 3-way cat vaccine PLUS rabies or 4-way canine plus rabies and he files the county form for the dogs, too. Talk to your favorite vet about doing something like this. Of course, this does not make the "town" vet too happy.

-- Jean (schiszik@tbcnet.com), September 16, 2000.

Jean, THANKS>>>that is just where I usually shop, too. We live in the Milton and Whitewater area, so Janesville is the nearest big town! Carrie in Wis

-- Carrie Wehler (carriew@ticon.net), September 16, 2000.

I haven't actually done the tom-cats - my brother did, while I was working in the city. However, he used standard elastrator bands on half-grown tom-cats - about the age you say yours is. At that stage the applicable item is about the same size as a lamb or kid. Used two bands for insurance. There was an excess of cats anyway, and numbers were getting to the point where they were hunting native birds, so if the bands hadn't worked the cat still wouldn't have been breeding - or bothering the birds - or much of anything.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), September 18, 2000.