# Using Suprelorin implant for entire male



## thatsafunnylookingcat (Apr 21, 2012)

Hi everybody,
I'm not a breeder but thought I would post in this section as its much more likely you will have knowledge of the implant. 

I was wondering if anybody could give me their experiences with it. I'd like to know if anybody who has used it noticed any changes in behavior? How did it affect spraying? Did they seem more comfortable and at ease in general? How long did it last? I've heard people saying it lasts anywhere between 6 months and 2 years!

I have looked online but it seems relatively new and so information from actual people who have used it is hard to find, especially in cats, I've found more about it being used in dogs.

Thanks


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## Cosmills (Oct 3, 2012)

thatsafunnylookingcat said:


> Hi everybody,
> I'm not a breeder but thought I would post in this section as its much more likely you will have knowledge of the implant.
> 
> I was wondering if anybody could give me their experiences with it. I'd like to know if anybody who has used it noticed any changes in behavior? How did it affect spraying? Did they seem more comfortable and at ease in general? How long did it last? I've heard people saying it lasts anywhere between 6 months and 2 years!
> ...


Can I ask why you are wanting to use it on a entire male ?


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## thatsafunnylookingcat (Apr 21, 2012)

I posted a long time ago, I own an african sand cat (felis margarita).

I don't want to neuter him for a few reasons, the main concern being that he would then be unable to ever contribute to a breeding program if he was ever needed. I also wouldn't want to risk having him put under anesthetic if the simple answer is to use an implant.
I also think that if anything did ever happen to me, a permanent neuter would make him nothing more than a very expensive to keep and demanding pet, where as I would rather him go on to a zoo or conservation program as most normal pet owners would not understand his needs.

I thought I would ask if breeders have had any success with it as I could do with some first hand experiences of how it changes behavior. His behavior is never bad or aggressive but he does spray (fully expected with an entire male) and I thought perhaps the implant might make him more comfortable as I know neutering a domestic cat will improve their quality of life a lot.

Implants and other news - Zimbabwe Seven

This is what I read that started me looking into it. Nothing about sand cats, but they are using it in african wild cats there and servals.


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## Cosmills (Oct 3, 2012)

sorry I cannot help as only have domestic cats in this country.. someone might come along to help answer your questions

_Posted from Petforums.co.uk App for Android_


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## pipje (Jun 29, 2011)

I am using Suprelorin for my female cat.

Do take note that it is licensed only for dogs but is apparently widely used for ferrets, zoo animals and also cats. No idea about the rest but for cats, I have heard that it is a lot safer than the pill. 

Most of the stories I have heard were good. I think I remember one (read it on some forum) where the male cat was never fertile again. There was also one story where one female cat gave birth to a litter of deformed kittens after she got off suprelorin (but this is possibly not attributed to suprelorin). She did get a healthy litter after the deformed one though. 

In regards to changing behaviour, from what I've read (and from what I see with my own cat) is that it makes them behave like a neutered cat. Less active, become fatter, more affectionate etc. 

My queen was given a 6-month dose about 7 months ago. I expect it to last for a year or more so I can't tell you the negative side effects yet (i.e. will she ever call again etc.?).


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## thatsafunnylookingcat (Apr 21, 2012)

Cosmills said:


> sorry I cannot help as only have domestic cats in this country.. someone might come along to help answer your questions
> 
> _Posted from Petforums.co.uk App for Android_


I'm in england. 

I thought that it might be worth comparing what other people found happened with stud cats, hence asking breeders. I have read a few other places online that it's becoming more common for breeders to use it to allow their studs to live indoors while they don't need them produce any litters.

I was hoping that if it works on domestic cats as well as the species of wild cat mentioned in the article then it might work on mine and for a bit of insight on the ins and outs of it before i made an decisions.

Thanks for the reply though. I thought it might be a bit of a long shot as the drug does seem new.

Many thanks


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## thatsafunnylookingcat (Apr 21, 2012)

pipje said:


> I am using Suprelorin for my female cat.
> 
> Do take note that it is licensed only for dogs but is apparently widely used for ferrets, zoo animals and also cats. No idea about the rest but for cats, I have heard that it is a lot safer than the pill.
> 
> ...


 Thanks for the reply. 
I was actually hoping it might make him a little more relaxed and affectionate. You say it makes them fatter, does it increase appetite? He already has a huge appetite and would just eat and eat if allowed to.

You say you expect a 6month dose to last over a year, is that a 6month canine dose that lasts longer on cats?

Have you heard of anybody having it removed? I was worried that if he had a reaction to it that it might be hard to remove.
Does it need to be removed after the 12 months of working and replaced or can it be left in once it is inactive? would the old one need removing if I was to want another one after the 12 months?

Sorry if any of my questions seem stupid, i'm new to all this.

Many thanks again for the reply


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## Cosmills (Oct 3, 2012)

your welcome.. for me I would not touch it but that's my personal view... my boy will be a working stud and is logged with the gccf and tested.. I have no need to put drugs into him, he has enough girls to keep him happy lol

_Posted from Petforums.co.uk App for Android_


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## thatsafunnylookingcat (Apr 21, 2012)

Cosmills said:


> your welcome.. for me I would not touch it but that's my personal view... my boy will be a working stud and is logged with the gccf and tested.. I have no need to put drugs into him, he has enough girls to keep him happy lol
> 
> _Posted from Petforums.co.uk App for Android_


I have to agree that it's not the ideal to use drugs. I just think that if it will help him in any way then its worth it, but I want to make sure its right for him and that I understand the risks before I decide.

As you say your cat has females to keep him happy, my poor boy has a companion/friend domestic cat but nothing to mate and it must be so frustrating for him.

He seems to have matured more recently. I think he is age between 2 and 3 but I can't be sure as I've heard so many different things about him from different people.

Your cats are beautiful by the way!


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

Sand cats are 'near threatened' but I'm not sure your boy will be wanted for a captive testing program unless you have his pedigree - part of captive breeding is being very careful about who mates with whom so as to preserve diversity as far as possible.

My feeling is that you need to find institutions running breeding programs and see if there is any interest in him. If not, I'd neuter him.


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## we love bsh's (Mar 28, 2011)

Hi I remember you posting I remember being amazed at your little sand cat pics,someone the other week used this implant on their male as vets couldn't castrate as they couldn't find the testicle,the cat was acting very tom like with behaviour problems,they put the implant in and the cat was said to have settled nicely after about 5/6 weeks.


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## lisajjl1 (Jun 23, 2010)

Hi,

I read about this implant being used on male cats a while back and asked my vets opinion on it being a possibility at next visit, at the time I had kept back a male kitten who was fast maturing but wasnt entirely sure I was going to use him as a stud but not entirely sure I was happy to neuter him with no way back until my other older boy was up and working and I could see the kind of kittens he would father.

My vet is a very forward thinking person and listened to what I wanted to use if for and said she would seek more information and advice and any prior knowledge from the practice partners to see if this was going to be best solution for me and to try and establish how successful it was when used in domestic cats.

She rang me back after consulting and said there just wasnt enough tried and tested data on this implant used in entire male domestic cats to be able to determine whether the future risk of infertility or side effects outweighed the benefits and she wasnt personally happy with this lack of knowledge and going into such unknown territory with it. Her suggestion was to wait until there was far more known about its use in domestic male cats before trying.

I ruled it out at that point as would also have wanted to know far more about its safety etc when used in cats and with vet worried too there was no way I would have used my boy as a guinea pig.

I think maybe it will be very unlikely to find a lot of experience from cat owners on here as it is such a rarely used and still quite experimental idea for cats.

Have you contacted any zoos or wildlife parks for help getting imformation on how it works for them, pros and cons etc? I suspect they will know far more if already using it. 

Hope this helps.


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## thatsafunnylookingcat (Apr 21, 2012)

OrientalSlave said:


> Sand cats are 'near threatened' but I'm not sure your boy will be wanted for a captive testing program unless you have his pedigree - part of captive breeding is being very careful about who mates with whom so as to preserve diversity as far as possible.
> 
> My feeling is that you need to find institutions running breeding programs and see if there is any interest in him. If not, I'd neuter him.


 Thanks for the reply OrientalSlave. It is believed all sand cats in the UK come from 2 pairs that were imported over a hundred years ago. I have also spoken to people in America and Europe, the gene pool is severely lacking in captive specimens. My sand cat was believed to have been imported from Saudi Arabia for a private collection in the UK. He ended up being unwanted when the person couldn't get a female for him (at least this is the story I was told) and I ended up with him.

It doesn't really work like a pedigree with wild cats, well at least with sand cats that I have looked into. There is a European stud book for zoos and each cat is recorded and their DNA tested, this is all the pedigree a lot have, unless they come from lines of zoo bred animals. I think they leave it open so that animals from private collections can be added provided they are DNA tested and tested clear of disease. At least this is what I have gathered but I'm not 100% sure on this.

He will need to be sedated to allow for the implant if I get it done. I was planning to have blood taken and a mouth swab at the same time. Then I can get him subspecies tested (there are 6 subspecies). This is something I will have to talk to my vet about though, I could do the swab without sedation but unsure of if that would be enough for the tests, again I will need to ask around.

Thanks again


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## pipje (Jun 29, 2011)

thatsafunnylookingcat said:


> Thanks for the reply.
> I was actually hoping it might make him a little more relaxed and affectionate. You say it makes them fatter, does it increase appetite? He already has a huge appetite and would just eat and eat if allowed to.
> 
> You say you expect a 6month dose to last over a year, is that a 6month canine dose that lasts longer on cats?
> ...


I am not sure to be honest but since it's only made for dogs and come in 6 and 12-month doses, I assume it's the 6-month canine dose.

I don't think it really increased my cat's appetite (but I wouldn't know since I don't measure their food). However, since she stopped calling, that means she didn't eat very little for week/pace around/ scream a lot so perhaps that is why she put on weight.

Mine was inserted in the neck so I don't think removal is possible. I have heard that it possible to insert it in the belly area if you want it removed but only until a certain amount of time. After that, it is no longer possible to remove the chip. The chip dissolves by itself so you will not need to remove it after he starts spraying again.


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## pipje (Jun 29, 2011)

Lisa is right. However, I would like to point out that this depends on country. In The Netherlands, it is certainly not uncommon. I believe it is also widely used in Scandinavia and possibly Germany and Belgium as well. Petforums is an international one, however, I think most breeders on this board are from the UK. 

I am not saying Suprelorin is great but for me, the risk of this is lower than the pill. That's why I opted for it.


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## thatsafunnylookingcat (Apr 21, 2012)

we love bsh's said:


> Hi I remember you posting I remember being amazed at your little sand cat pics,someone the other week used this implant on their male as vets couldn't castrate as they couldn't find the testicle,the cat was acting very tom like with behaviour problems,they put the implant in and the cat was said to have settled nicely after about 5/6 weeks.


 I posted on that thread  I had never heard of it at all at the time. I then read the zoo article and it got me thinking about if it would be suitable. If I hadn't remembered that thread when I saw the article I would have assumed that the implant wasn't available over here and wouldn't have started searching.

Thanks for the reply


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## lisajjl1 (Jun 23, 2010)

pipje said:


> Lisa is right. However, I would like to point out that this depends on country. In The Netherlands, it is certainly not uncommon. I believe it is also widely used in Scandinavia and possibly Germany and Belgium as well. Petforums is an international one, however, I think most breeders on this board are from the UK.
> 
> I am not saying Suprelorin is great but for me, the risk of this is lower than the pill. That's why I opted for it.


Sorry, yes should have mentioned that I originally heard of it through international sites, agree pipje there will be breeders from other countries using it and know far more about it that hasnt filtered through here yet to UK breeders or UK vets!

I was interested in it for same reason as you are using it....my other option was to put three girls on the pill and I didnt fancy that either so went with a drug free option.....seperation of male and female cats!


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## thatsafunnylookingcat (Apr 21, 2012)

lisajjl1 said:


> Hi,
> 
> I read about this implant being used on male cats a while back and asked my vets opinion on it being a possibility at next visit, at the time I had kept back a male kitten who was fast maturing but wasnt entirely sure I was going to use him as a stud but not entirely sure I was happy to neuter him with no way back until my other older boy was up and working and I could see the kind of kittens he would father.
> 
> ...


 Thats what I've been dreading hearing! Thanks for the reply though. I haven't read anything bad, but as it's so new there is always time for people to realise it leads to problems 

I love him and the thought of putting him at any risk terrifies me, but I do want him to be as comfortable as possible.

I do have a specialist zoo vet, who I can phone and will even contact my local vet for me telling them what to do and can write prescriptions to be collected/administered at my local vet. I have total confidence in the specialist so maybe I should phone him and see what he thinks.

I was hoping for more of a first hand experience from a pet/stud owners point of view first like yours. It's difficult because on the one hand he is a wild animal and on the other he is a family member just like any other pet cat. Most zoo animals don't live in a domestic setting so it's really difficult to know what to do for the best for him.

Thanks for the reply


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## spotty cats (Jul 24, 2012)

Not something I would use, but the most successful way seems to be implanting in the 'belly button' and removing after the 6 or 12 months is up. 
They still take some time to become fertile again, but it's quicker than if you leave the implant in. Leaving the implant in seems to last at least double the suggested time. 

A vet I know had to take a breeding break so implanted many of his cats, not all though as there is a failure rate and some cats never work again. 

I would only use it on a cat I was prepared to not breed from again, and in that case I'd be spaying/neutering them not keeping entire. 

Is it worth even keeping your Sand Cat entire? Can he be used in a zoo program?


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

thatsafunnylookingcat said:


> <snip>
> 
> It doesn't really work like a pedigree with wild cats, well at least with sand cats that I have looked into. There is a European stud book for zoos and each cat is recorded and their DNA tested, this is all the pedigree a lot have, unless they come from lines of zoo bred animals. I think they leave it open so that animals from private collections can be added provided they are DNA tested and tested clear of disease. At least this is what I have gathered but I'm not 100% sure on this.
> <snip>


This is what I meant, pedigree wasn't quite the right word. Still feel you need to get in touch with a zoo with sand cats to get the ball rolling.


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## NorthernDarkness (Jan 9, 2013)

My BSH stud has had it. He had 2 litters before he got the implant, and successfully 3rd litter after the implant stopped working. He's so mellow an not stud-like at all anyway that it's hard to say how long it worked (he doesn't even smell like male cats normally do). He got it when I imported a queen from Germany, she started calling at 14 months and had her 1st litter with my stud when she was 2.

The stud is still unneutered, no implant at the moment. The only bad thing I would say is the weight gaining, but that would likely happen with real neutering too if the cat happens to like food a lot.

*eta* Just thought I should add that in this part of the world we don't (can't) keep our studs outside, so they live indoors with us like any other pet would.


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## pipje (Jun 29, 2011)

lisajjl1 said:


> I was interested in it for same reason as you are using it....my other option was to put three girls on the pill and I didnt fancy that either so went with a drug free option.....seperation of male and female cats!


I do not have a stud so my cats do not run the risk of being pregnant accidently. However, my queen was calling every 4 weeks or so. To ensure she does not get pyometra, lose condition etc., I had a few choices:

i) Sterilise her
ii) Birth control

I did not want to sterilise her and was about to get the pill (heard Perlutex is relatively safe among pills) but when I was discussing safety with the vet, he said "If you really want to be safe, you should think about Suprelorin". Apparently, with the pill, even if your cat stops taking it, the cat still has the extra risk (no idea how much is true but this is what he told me). He wrote suprelorin down for me so that I could do my research online. I thought it sounded alright so I took my queen back a few weeks later for the chip.


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## thatsafunnylookingcat (Apr 21, 2012)

Hi everybody, 
thanks for the replies. I haven't called my vet to ask about it yet, but have been talking things over with my partner and we have decided that we will probably give it a go if my vets agree that it's suitable. The view being that if it does benefit him and make him more comfortable we will consider having him neutered in the future when its worn off.
This way we think that if the implant proves completely ineffective we haven't run the risk of a surgery on him that might not improve his quality of life. 

I do wish he was a little more mellow though, he has a huge dislike for visitors, especially men. I'm not sure if that is due to hormones or perhaps a bad experience in the past? He tolerates my partner but he makes it very clear that I'm his favourite. 
He also sprays if anything upsets him, like guests coming round or change in routine. 
I thought about trying feliway but I have no idea if it's the same for him as it is for domestic cats, and with him being entire I know it wouldn't help with the spraying. 

Thanks again for the replies


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## pipje (Jun 29, 2011)

Actually, if you want to keep him entire (for breeding), then yes, suprelorin is an option.

However if it's just because you want him neutered but think it's risky to go for surgery, then honestly, a simple castration is really no big deal (it's hardly surgery tbh). Why not just send him to be castrated?


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## thatsafunnylookingcat (Apr 21, 2012)

pipje said:


> Actually, if you want to keep him entire (for breeding), then yes, suprelorin is an option.
> 
> However if it's just because you want him neutered but think it's risky to go for surgery, then honestly, a simple castration is really no big deal (it's hardly surgery tbh). Why not just send him to be castrated?


 I won't lie it does worry me, but it's not the only reason. I was thinking that the suprelorin not only will help me see how he would behave as a neuter so I can weigh up the pro's and cons but also it will give me a year or so to actually look into getting him involved in breeding and decide if it's what I want for him. I can learn all the ins and outs of what it would entail.

If after that I decide it's not for him or it turns out he is too closely related to the UK lines, they could remove the implant while he was under for the permanent neuter.

My other consideration, as I said before, I really do think if anything happened to me it would be very hard to home him to a zoo if he was castrated. He would be just a pet then and 90% of people who have asked me about him, seem to think because he is small he is just like a domestic cat and can be fed kibble etc. Also the cost involved in keeping him is high, I don't know how many people would be prepared for it in the long run, when the novelty wore off and they realise he isn't cute and cuddly, he is a smelly, grumpy, wild animal.

I would just add here, that I never have any intention of parting with him, it's just in a worst case scenario I want to put his needs first. Also if he did ever end up in another private home I would ensure he was neutered before hand!


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## pipje (Jun 29, 2011)

Understood. 

I just googled and OMG. How cute is a felis margarita!

Out of curiosity, are sand cats legal pets? What's the breed personality like?


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## thatsafunnylookingcat (Apr 21, 2012)

pipje said:


> Understood.
> 
> I just googled and OMG. How cute is a felis margarita!
> 
> Out of curiosity, are sand cats legal pets? What's the breed personality like?


 Yeah he is adorable, its like being that cute is the bane of his existence. Almost like the personality of a tiger that nobody has taken seriously :lol:

He is aloof, moody, and generally cat like! He has friendly days and less friendly days, sometimes he likes attention and others he will avoid you if he doesn't want to be pestered. He has never hurt anybody or swiped at them, he is actually very tolerant when I have picked him up etc. I try to keep man handling him to a bare minimum as I don't want him to fear me or avoid me and because I respect him. This seems to have worked because he now trusts me but it has taken time. I've had him for about 2 years now. 
He's a one person cat I'd say, he does purr and it is very cute, he loves having under his chin tickled. 
He doesn't rub on things very often like a domestic cat, he also didn't use to play with toys. We have continued to offer toys to him even though he ignored them (to make us feel better mostly  ) but recently he does play with a ball, only when we aren't in the room though! We know he is doing it because he is the only pet in there and we hear it jingling!

Last year his companion passed away, a bengal, they were very close and after she went he became more aggressive. He would hiss at me and my partner and I knew he was stressed, I then got a moggy to be a companion to him and he is much much happier but he is not as close to the new cat as he was to the bengal.

With legality, there is no paperwork required as they are not classed as dangerous wild animals. Though I do wish I knew where he was bred, as when I purchased him I was told he was captive bred 2010, but my vet thought it was more likely he was wild caught


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