Female cats that will not be used for breeding should be spayed prior to the first heat cycle. Spaying is the surgical removal of both ovaries and the uterus to prevent unwanted pregnancies, life threatening uterine infections, and mammary cancer later in life. It is important to remember that the spay procedure is a major abdominal surgery and recovery time from surgery will be needed. Your recovering cat needs to be rested-no running or jumping as overactivity can lead to complications such as bleeding, infection, and breakdown of the incision.