Reasons For Neutering Or Spaying A Kitten
You can have your kitten neutered or spayed as early as 6 weeks of age and the kitten weighs at least 2.2 lbs. For newbie pet parents, however, the idea of feline sterilization may be a very new and odd concept. Some may not feel the need for sterilization at all. Here are some of the reasons why you should have your kitten neutered.
What Are The Benefits Of Neutering Or Spaying My Cat
The primary reason to spay or neuter an animal is to prevent overpopulation. Each year, millions of cats and dogs enter animal shelters in the U.S, and nearly half of those animals are euthanized. The majority of the animals that are euthanized are healthy, but shelters struggle to manage and find homes for the sheer number of cats and dogs they receive. By spaying or neutering your cat, you can prevent unwanted animals and contribute to ending this very sad cycle of euthanasia.
Another benefit of neutering or spaying your cat is that doing so can eliminate potential health problems down the road. Spaying female cats before their first heat cycle has been shown to dramatically lower their chances of developing mammary neoplasia, which is a common cancer among cats. Spaying or neutering also eliminates the risk of disease of the testes, uterus, or ovaries. Studies have shown that spayed or neutered cats have a higher life expectancy than intact cats, although there are many different factors that likely contribute to this.
Finally, there are behavioral benefits to fixing your cat. This is especially true for male cats, who are more likely than females to display unwanted sexual behaviors such as roaming, urine spraying, vocalizing, and fighting.
When Should You Neuter A Cat
The traditional age for a cat spay or castration is 5-6 months. This is fine if it actually gets done then and your cat stays indoors until that point. The age of sexual maturity though can be as young as 4 months of age. This clearly leaves a window of opportunity for your cat to get pregnant if they are female, or start competing and fighting for the attention of any entire female in the neighborhood if your cat is male.
Why then not neuter your cat earlier? Well, early age neutering is endorsed by many international organizations, including the British Small Animal Veterinary Association, and Australias Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The American Veterinary Medical Association also currently recommends that cats not intended for breeding should be desexed before 5 months of age.
Ideally to reduce the euthanasia of healthy but unwanted kittens though we would be going a step further and castrating or spaying all cats before about 16 weeks of age, that is before they become sexually mature.
Read Also: Is Baking Soda Dangerous For Cats
How Does Castration Affect Behavior
The only behaviors affected by castration are those under the influenceof male hormones . A cats temperament, training, and personality are the result of genetics and upbringing, and are generally unaffected by the presence or absence of male hormones. Castration is unlikely to calm an overactive cat or decrease aggression toward people. Since the male brain is masculinized by the time the kitten is born, castration will reduce some, but not all of the sexually dimorphic male behaviors. If performed prior to sexual maturity castration will help to prevent the development of secondary sexual characteristics such as penile barbs, large jowls, and glands at the dorsal part of the cats tail.
“The only behaviors affected by castration are those under the influence of male hormones.”
How Long Does My Cat Have To Wear A Cone After Neutering
Most cats should wear their cone for 5-7 days after neutering to avoid licking the incision. Most scrotal incisions heal very quickly. If an abdominal incision was necessary to remove retained testicle, then the cone should remain on for 10-14 days or until your cats recheck examination to assess healing.
Also Check: Can Cats Eat Mayonnaise With Tuna
What Are The Health Effects Of Spaying Or Neutering A Cat
Of course, while spaying or neutering procedures are routine and considered safe, risk cannot be totally eliminated from every surgical or medical procedure. For example, cats who have been spayed or neutered do tend to gain weight if their diets are not adjusted accordingly. Neutered male cats are also at increased risk for developing urinary blockages.
The benefits of neutering or spaying almost always outweigh the risks. However, you should always ask your vet which choices are best for your pet.
When Should I Neuter My Male Cat
When to neuter a British Shorthair male is a divisive and complex question. We consider the different approaches and explain our advice.
When to neuter a male cat is a question that we are asked by every one of our new kitten owners. There is a lot of conflicting advice out there, and opinions differ depending on who you are talking to. The issue seems to be particularly divisive when it comes to neutering male British Shorthair cats. This article identifies the common approaches, and then explains what age we advise neutering a male cat, and why.
There are two schools of thought on when to neuter a male cat:
You May Like: What Is A Cat’s Normal Heart Rate
Neutering A Kitten Ensures Domestic Tranquility
Millions of euthanized cats is sad, but still somewhat abstract. Lets look at more practical reasons to neuter your male kitten at the earliest opportunity. Behaviorally, having a male kitten fixed has long-term consequences. Intact male cats have needs beyond sex, including territory and violent conflict. Neutering a kitten between the ages of eight weeks and five months places limits on the production of male hormones, minimizing his desire to roam and to fight with other cats.
Intact cats of both sexes also regularly engage in the act of spraying. Spraying serves a variety of communication functions between cats. Cat urine, especially that of intact males, contains pheromones and other chemicals that produce foul odors that are useful to cats, but which cause our couches, bookshelves, and table legs to reek. Spraying is linked to, but is not exclusively, an expression of sexual desire. Getting a male kitten neutered will not prevent him from ever spraying anywhere, but it will dramatically reduce the urge and the strength of the scent.
Are There Any Bad Side Effects
No, your male ragdoll will not become lazy or overweight as a result of neutering. You have to feed them proper amounts for their age and help them play and stay active, but the act of neutering alone will not render them overweight or lazy.
Calories consumed during the day will have to be cut down as a result of the lessened fighting and roaming, but this is a normal part of keeping a cat.
Your ragdoll will still enjoy hunting around for toys and doing other instinctual cat behavior and will not stunt his growth when you perform the operation. Height and weight will be normal as will the urethra.
It is best that you neuter before the male enters puberty, so that the effects of neutering will have the maximum benefits and he will not develop bad habits that are typical of a sexually mature male cat.
Read Also: Blue Senior Cat Food
Reduces Risk Of Certain Diseases
Spaying a female cat can help reduce the risk of pyometra and tumors of the mammary glands. Neutering male cats can help prevent the spread of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus and Feline Leukemia Virus. Male cat sterilization lessens their predisposition to go into a fight with other cats. This helps them stay protected against these viruses.
Dr Michelle Burch Dvm
Dr. Michelle Burch, DVM, is a Veterinarian from Safe Hounds Pet Insurance. Heres what he said, Unfortunately, there are no medications or implants in the United States approved for chemical castration as secondary options instead of surgical neuter. In Europe and other countries, the Suprelorin implant has the approval to prevent fertility and suppress libido. Suprelorin works by stopping pathways in the reproductive endocrine system.
Don’t Miss: Cat Drinking Christmas Tree Water
Allows For Better Visualization Of Organs
When compared to older kittens, younger kittens have proportionately less body fat. This means that veterinary surgeons will be able to visualize the spermatic cords that they need to cut and the testicles they need to remove. This will also help them have a better view of the fallopian tubes of female kittens as well as their ovaries and uterus. Less fat means easier access to these organs.
What Is The Difference Between Spaying And Neutering
When we discuss getting a companion animal ‘fixed’, we are using a blanket term that refers to both the spaying of femal animals and the neutering of male animals.
Spaying Female Cats
When we spay a cat, the uterus and ovaries, or occasionally just the ovaries, of the female cat are surgically removed.
After the spaying procedure has been done, she will not be able to have kittens.
Neutering Male Cats
Neutering involves removing the male cat’s testicles.
When your male cat is neutered, he will be unable to father kittens.
Read Also: Is Blue Buffalo Good Cat Food
What Is The Procedure Like
So that your male cat can get the benefits of anesthesia, you will be asked to stop feeding him the night before the operation.
You must be sure to arrive on time for your appointment, so be sure to have your cat carrier ready to go with a comfortable blanket or towel inside for your cat to relax upon.
Your ragdoll cat will go under general anesthesia and get a small incision in his scrotum. The testicles will be removed, and he will not feel it at all.
Using sutures that absorb right into the skin, or surgical grade glue, the skin will be stitched up and your pet can go right home with you that same day.
In some cases, stitches may not be required. Your pet may also get a special tattoo that indicates they have been neutered. Your vet will tell you if there are any complications you should be aware of.
The recovery process will also be one that is pretty fast for your cat. He will be back to his old self in no time. Your cat will be drowsy after the operation, so keep a watch on him and make sure he is comfortable and warm.
Your Pet’s Health And Longevity
The average lifespan of spayed and neutered cats and dogs is demonstrably longer than the lifespan of those not. A University of Georgia study, based on the medical records of more than 70,000 animal patients, found that the life expectancy of neutered male dogs was 13.8% longer and that of spayed female dogs was 26.3% longer. The average age of death of intact dogs was 7.9 years versus a significantly older 9.4 years for altered dogs.
Another study, conducted by Banfield Pet Hospitals on a database of 2.2 million dogs and 460,000 cats reflected similar findings, concluding that neutered male dogs lived 18% longer and spayed female dogs lived 23% longer. Spayed female cats in the study lived 39% longer and neutered male cats lived 62% longer.
The reduced lifespan of unaltered pets can, in part, be attributed to an increased urge to roam , to trauma from vehicle strikes and to other accidental mishaps.
A contributor to the increased longevity of altered pets is their reduced risk of certain types of cancers. Intact female cats and dogs have a greater chance of developing pyometra and uterine, mammary gland and other cancers of the reproductive system. Neutering male pets eliminates their risk of testicular cancer and results in lower rates of prostate cancer.
These are the best general recommendations that can be drawn from a thorough analysis of research currently available:
Also Check: Is Blue Buffalo Good Cat Food
When Can You Get A Kitten Neutered
An orchidectomy is the proper name for the procedure by which a male cats testicles are surgically removed from his scrotum. If your veterinarian determines your male kitten to be hale and otherwise healthy, sterilization can take place any time after he is eight weeks old and reaches a weight of two pounds. Is it vital that you schedule the operation for the day he turns eight weeks, or the moment he hits two pounds on the scale? No. Should you get him fixed once he reaches an appropriate age and weight? Yes.
Recovery time is brief for a neutered kitten. A male kitten that has been fixed may have to wear a cone of shame for a few days after the operation, but the incision will have healed completely within two weeks. It is a routine procedure and a safe one. If you intend to raise a male cat indoors and never let him outside the walls of your home, though, is a neutering operation really beneficial? Yes, and for reasons that exceed suppressing his sexual proclivities.
Do Cats Get Calmer After Neutering
Another positive aspect of neutering your cat is that neutering can result in a calmer, and sometimes cleaner, home. Without the drive to mate, your cat may be quieter and not prone to cat calls and an incessant need to seek out a mate. The neutered cat no longer feels the need to seek out and serenade females.
Recommended Reading: Worlds Biggest Cat Breed
Unfortunately No Two Kittens Will Have The Same Exact Growth Rate
Maximum age to neuter a cat. Please feed 1/4 to 1/3 amount of what you would normally feed the morning of surgery. Its recommended that cats are neutered at around four months old Hi,there is no maximum age to neuter a cat, so i would highly recommend it.
The cat will no longer be a man without his testicles: Kitten neutering is proven to be safe and effective and cats protection recommends that your cat is neutered at four months of age or younger. Neutered animals might have slightly lower food requirements so you just need to feed them a little less
When should you neuter your cat? It is important that this is done before the cat begins puberty. See myth 3 for more.
Neutering also reduces the chance of disease transmission due to fighting. All services and surgeries are subject to our vets discretion. When to neuter a cat.
Age requirement your cat or dog should be at least 6 months old. Information about feline neutering age: While veterinarians traditionally neutered cats at about 6 months of age, early neutering is becoming more acceptable and common.
One of our main aims is to encourage the neutering of all cats and kittens. Neutering is a safe, painless way of controlling the cat population. Thus, the best age for a kitten to get neutered or spayed is before it reaches the age of 6 months.
Large breed dogs , 7 years maximum age. All cats homed by cats protection will have been neutered. What age should i declaw my cat?
Says Being a Cat Person May Be Good for Your
Neuter Your Male Cat As Early As Possible
This school of thought is common among vets, and some breeders, and says:
-
Neuter as early as possible, at around 2-4 months old, or even earlier because:
-
Neutering early has been shown to have better recovery times for the cat
-
Neutering early is the only way to be sure to avoid the undesirable behaviours of a tom cat, unwanted pregnancies and the risks that a roaming tom cat is exposed to
-
Neutering early, before the kittens leave for their new home, is the only way to be certain that kittens are not going to an unfortunate life with a ‘back yard breeder’ and to remove the risk of unwanted pregnancies
You May Like: How Old Is A 12 Year Old Cat
How Can I Arrange To Spay Or Neuter My Cat
To get your cat spayed or neutered, make an appointment with your local veterinarian. Most vets require at least one pre-op appointment before the big day. Dont feed your cat the night before the procedure, but do give her water. On the morning of the operation, remove the water, too.
Spaying and neutering doesnt usually involve an overnight stay. Most of the time, youll drop your cat off with the vet in the morning, and youll pick her back up again in the afternoon. Then its home for a little TLC.
How Old Do Kitties Have To Be To Be Neutered
Kitties should be bred as soon as they are no longer being bred, or when their peak reproductive health is over, which occurs at around age 7 or 8, according to Maxs House. Cats can be neutered at only a few months old, although you can put the operation off until about 5 or 6 months of age without problems.
As we all know, neutering is very successful in cats at eliminating male-typical behaviors, curtailing most of these behaviors with something like 90 percent efficacy. Many of these male-typical behaviors disappear soon after neutering, though some may persist for weeks, months or even years.
Also Check: Eggs Safe For Cats
More Reasons To Fix Felines By Five
Responsible pet ownership and spaying/neutering also:
- Helps the community by reducing the number of unwanted cats
- Reduces risks of hoarding and overabundance of cats
- Frees up shelter resources that can be used to help more animals
- Prevents risks of infections in the environment
- Potentially minimizes the risk of Toxoplasma being shed in the environment in outdoor stray cats
Whats more, spaying and neutering can help you!
- It can save money on emergency reproductive disorders like an infected uterus
- Spaying and neutering can save you time on trying to find homes for 6-8 kittens
- It can save you money on a veterinary visit to test all your kittens for feline kitty AIDS , deworm them, and give them their first 2 shots before you adopt them out
There are several reputable organizations that endorse and support early spay neuter in cats, and these include:
- Alley Cat Allies
- Cat Fanciers Association
- Winn Feline Foundation
When in doubt, discuss this with your veterinarian and keep your cat healthy and happy. But try to Beat the heat and Fix Felines by Five!