Surgical and chemical vasectomy in the cat.

Ejaculates of surgically vasectomized cats had spermatozoa as long as 49 days after vasectomy, indicating that spermatozoa in the ejaculate from intact cats originated from the epididymides and vasa deferentia. Intraepididymal injections of an aqueous solution of 4.5% chlorhexidine digluconate into the caudae of the epididymides induced a lasting oligospermia or azoospermia in 7 of 8 cats. Of these 7 cats, 4 were azoospermic and 1 cat had no intact spermatozoa in his ejaculates 140 days after treatment. The method of chemical vasectomy by intraepididymal injection of sclerosing agents appears to be safe and may be suitable for large-scale sterilization programs for controlling the growth of the feline population.