So When Should Your Get Your Maine Coon Neutered
You will find that a lot of breeders are getting kittens neutered prior to allowing them to go home with their new owners. Or you may find that youll be allowed to take the kitten home but the papers proving that they are purebred Maine coon are withheld until you can provide proof that you have had them neutering. This will be in part to cut down on the number of backyard breeders. They obviously wont want you setting up as competition but also they will not want to contribute to irresponsible breeding practices.
Another reason that breeders are choosing to neuter early is because of de-clawing. De-clawing of Maine coons was a common practice in the past. Having them neutered prior to go home reduces the risk of aggressive behaviours which might prompt an owner to consider de-clawing.
If youve got yourself a kitten and they havent yet been neutered then have a chat with your veterinarian about when they would recommend neutering. Neutering from the age of 12 weeks is now standard practice in many places and will not cause any long term problems for your Maine coon.
Regardless of when the neutering takes place you should choose to have the procedure done at some point for your Maine coon to enjoy a happy, healthy home life with your family.
Why Neuter A Male Kitten
Having debunked the myth of the intact satyromaniac cat and his endless series of fecund nymphomaniac partners, the question remaining is not when to have a male kitten neutered, but why. Regardless of how many kittens a male cat foists upon the world, theres no question that cat overpopulation is already a problem. Its a problem because it encourages the spread of communicable diseases, whether they are bacterial, viral, or because of secondary infections that result from untreated fighting wounds. Its also a problem because of the sheer number of cats that are euthanized every year in the United States alone.
There are more homeless and feral cats wandering around out there than we can possibly enumerate. Yet we do have something of a grasp on the number of strays that are put to sleep in shelters. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that around 6 million kittens and cats enter these facilities on a yearly basis, and around half 3 million cats are . One intact male living in your home will not substantially affect those staggering numbers. Just the same, are you, as a cat owner, okay with adding even a handful of cats to the total?
Neutering Your Cat Key Facts
- Neutering means surgically preventing cats from reproducing
- Its recommended that cats are neutered at around four months old
- Neutered animals might have slightly lower food requirements so you just need to feed them a little less
Neutering your cat can have really great benefits, both to them and to you! Plus youll be helping to tackle the growing crisis of pets being abandoned, dumped and given away because there arent enough homes to go around.
What is cat neutering?
Neutering means surgically preventing cats from reproducing. In males, the operation is called castration and in females its called spaying.
With castration both testicles are removed which takes away the main source of the male hormone testosterone. With spaying, both the ovaries and the uterus are removed which means the female is unable to become pregnant.
Should You Get Your Cat Fixed
About 3.2 million cats arrive at US animal shelters annually, according to the ASPCA .
Spaying or neutering your cat is the absolute best way to help reduce the number of unwanted cats in the Baltimore area.
That said, the benefits of spaying and neutering your pet don’t stop at controlling the population. Having your kitten fixed can help to curb many undesirable cat behaviors and help to reduce the risk of your cat developing numerous serious health issues.
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.
Because Their Maine Coon Is An Indoor Cat
This is a risky attitude to have. For a start if you havemore than one cat in the house then they will get territorial, fight and likelydevelop the habit of spraying. Thats all just inside the house, then you havethe risk of them trying to get outside. Even if your Maine coon is the only catin your house then if unneutered they will have the instinct to go roaming tofind themselves a mate. Your indoor Maine coon will not be a content coon ifthey have not been neutered.
How To Care For Your Maine Coon After They Have Been Neutered
In general, kittens respond well to the operation and youll be able to take them home right away. Post operative recovery is quick. There does not tend to be a lot of bleeding and it is not overly painful. There are a few things that youll want to bear in mind after your cat has been neutered:
As the operation is performed under a general anaesthetic yourkitten may be a little sleepy and unsteady on the feet for several hours afterthe procedure. This is normal but if they do not seem back to their normalselves after 24 hours then contact your veterinarian.
They also may not feel like eating in the first 24 hoursafter the anaesthetic. Make sure that they have plenty of fresh water availableand offer food on a regular basis until they start eating again.
Try to limit your cats movements for the next 24-48 hours as this will reduce the risk of the wound opening up again. This can be quite a challenge once the sleepiness has worn off and all your kitten wants to do is run around the house and play!
You might want to consider having a crate filled with cosy bedding to keep them in for a couple of days. Put their food, water and litter tray near to where they are sleeping in order to reduce the amount of moving around they need to do.
When your kitten leaves the vet they may have a plastic conearound their neck, this is to prevent them from licking the stitches. This reducesthe risk of infection and of the wound breaking open.
Spaying And Neutering: The Bottom Line
Spaying and neutering can help keep your cat healthier and safer and you dont end up with more kittens than you can count. To be on the safe side, get your cat spayed or neutered before theyre six months old. If youre wondering when to spay a cat or when to neuter a cat, speak to your local veterinarian.
When Should You Neuter A Male Cat
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If you want to adopt a male cat but don’t fancy raising a load of kittens, the wisest thing to do will be to neuter it at the right time. This will save you from a host of problems, and your beloved cat will lead a pleasant and happy life. Moreover, neutering your cat will bring numerous health and behavior benefits.
The best age to neuter a male cat depends on the circumstances; there is no particular, universal time. Keep reading this AnimalWised article to discover when should you neuter a male cat under various circumstances to make sure you do it at the best time.
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.
Does Neutering Lead To Any Adverse Effects On Health Or Behavior
“Male urine odor is particularly strong and pungent.”
There are many misconceptions about the effects of neutering on health and behavior. Neutered males are no more likely to become fat or lazy provided they receive a proper diet and adequate exercise. With less roaming, fightingand mating activity, calorie intake may have to be reduced and alternative forms of play and activity provided. Behaviors that have developed independentof hormonal influences such as hunting are not affected. Regardless of ageat which it is performed, neutering does not have any effect on physical development . Although neutering before puberty appears to have similar effects to neutering post-puberty, every attempt should be made to neuter before puberty before the cat develops problems, experiences, and habits associated with sexual maturity.
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.
How Are Male Cats Neutered
Male cats are neutered by means of castration, which means that the testes themselves are removed. While this obviously is a fairly big change, the surgery and implications for the cat are much lesser in male neutering than female spaying, and the operation itself usually takes well under ten minutes from start to finish.
Once the cat has come around from their anaesthetic, they are usually not even aware of the change, and will return to normal pretty much the same day, to the point that many male cat owners find themselves faced with the challenge of trying to curtail their cats jumping and energy levels for a few days afterwards, as their cats are so unphased!
Reduces Risk Of Roaming
When female cats go into heat, both her hormones and instincts are urging her to find a mate. And if she’s your only cat, she’ll try to escape every time you open the door so that she can find one. Remember that males are also driven by hormones and the mating instinct, and will try their best to escape for the same reason. Both males and females are at risk outdoors of being injured as they cross roads and highways to mate. By neutering your cat, you’ll reduce this wanderlust and find they’re happy to stay put in the safe, comfy spot next to you on the couch.
Spaying Procedure In Female Cats
During a female cat spay, surgical removal of her ovaries and uterus occurs. If you wait until the cat is old enough to have her first heat, veterinarians will charge more if you wait. During a heat, blood flow to the uterus increases making the surgery more difficult.
Some people mean well and plan to have their cat fixed, but with advancing age, cat owners may push the surgery aside due to the added cost for a cat in heat. If an unfixed cat continues to have heats year after year and never mates, she can develop pyometra, a situation in which the uterus fills with pus. This really drives up the cost of your pet’s veterinary care.
It’s critical to have your female cat fixed before six months. Many veterinary offices will spay a female at twelve weeks of age. Cat owners find their pets recover quickly at this younger age and studies show no ill effects of spaying early in kittenhood. Post-spay adult cat care shows cats take longer to come out of the anesthesia and generally are in more pain for longer than kittens.
Benefits Of Neutering Your Male Cat
Population Control
While male cats don’t actually have kittens themselves, one unneutered male cat in your neighborhood can make many female cats pregnant. That’s why neutering male cats is as important as spaying females when it comes to population control!
Health Issues
Neutering your male cat may help slow the spread of serious cat diseases such as Feline immunodeficiency virus and Feline leukemia virus that are often spread between cats during fights. Neutering can help to reduce cat aggression and may mean fewer injuries from fighting. Neutered males also tend to stay closer to home which helps to reduce their risk of being injured by vehicles.
Deter Undesirable Behaviors
Unneutered male cats typically spray inside the home more than neutered males and may be aggressive towards their owners. Having your male kitten neutered while young can help to prevent these behaviors from starting. Also, male cats who are not neutered, frequently roam over large areas in search of unspayed females to mate with. These males will spray to mark their territory and often fight with other male cats which can be bothersome, noisy, and smelly.
Do You Want To Adopt Another Male Adult Cat
In this case it will be essential for both cats to be neutered before they’re put together, unless you fancy being on the news after having to change all your furniture, lights and valuable objects from your shelves as a result of a brutal war held between both cats.
Putting two un-neutered, adult male cats together in a limited space is a foolish idea. It’s plausible on a farm, but not in a flat.
This article is purely informative. AnimalWised does not have the authority to prescribe any veterinary treatment or create a diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian if they are suffering from any condition or pain.
If you want to read similar articles to When Should You Neuter a Male Cat?, we recommend you visit our Other health problems category.
Can A Cat Be Too Old To Get Spayed Or Neutered
In veterinary medicine, when it comes to surgery and anesthesia, age is not a barrier as long as the pet is healthy overall, Dr. Satchu said. If a cat is older but has perfect heart and lung sounds, normal organ function and normal overall bloodwork, then their age should not inhibit a spay or neuter.
Depending on the age of your cat, though, your vet may recommend a more thorough workup before surgery meaning shell undergo some extra tests to make sure shes in tip-top shape.
What Do I Need To Know About Spaying My Cat?
Feeding Your Neutered Cat
Once your cat is neutered it’s important to feed a good quality lower-calorie diet, which is specifically formulated for neutered cats to help control body weight. After neutering male cats’ energy requirements are slightly lower. It is recommended to feed higher protein quantities and foods containing L-carnitine to male neutered cats to help maintain a healthy weight.
Examples of foods available for neutered cats from MedicAnimal:
- Varied flavour profile for increased palatability
- High protein levels to reduce appetite, fighting overeating
- Designed as a complete meal for young male cats
- Suitable for use in homes with more than one cat.
- Suitable from neutering
What Age Can Cats Be Neutered
Cats become sexually mature from the age of around five months. In order to prevent unwanted pregnancies, its recommended that cats are neutered at around four months old, after they have completed their primary vaccinations. Some vets still recommend spaying at five or six months and its quite safe to neuter older cats.
Whats Involved In The Cat Neutering Process
Both operations are carried out under general anaesthetic. Every surgical procedure has some risk but modern techniques are very safe.
Because it involves surgery, there will be some discomfort but cats are given drugs to control this and most of them are up and about just a few hours after theyve had their operation.
Neuter A Male Kitten Your Turn
Do agree with Michael Freeby that we shouldnt even neuter a male kitten? If yes, why?
On the other hand, if you agree with our experts, then at what age should you neuter a male kitten?
Leave a comment and join our conversation.
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Benefits Of Spaying Your Female Cat
Population Control
Your tiny little kitten may actually be mature enough to have kittens of her own before she is even six months old. By spaying your female cat before she is mature enough to have kittens, you help to reduce the population of unwanted cats in your neighborhood.
Not only that, female cats can have as many as four litters a year. When we consider that the average litter can range in size from two kittens to as many as ten kittens, that is a staggering number of unwanted cats.
Animal Health
Spaying your kitten before she has her first heat can help to reduce her risk of pyometra as well as mammary tumors. It’s also important to note that female cats carrying infectious diseases can pass serious conditions on to their kittens who go on to spread the disease even further. Pregnancy and the birth process can be risky for young cats, and costly to their owners.
Save Wildlife
It is estimated that cats in the USA kill between 1.4 billion and 3.7 billion birds each year. Keeping the numbers of homeless cats to a minimum can help to save the lives of countless birds and other wildlife.
Deter Nuisance Behaviors
Spaying Vs Neutering: Understanding The Difference
Female cats are spayed while male cats are neutered. Both elective procedures entail removing the cats reproductive organs: the ovaries and uterus for females, and the testicles for the males.
Getting your cats spayed or neutered does more than help prevent an unplanned litter of kittens. The surgeries can actually lead to longer life expectancies for both cats and dogs. Bierbrier points out that spaying cats can help eliminate the risk of urinary tract infections and lessen the chances of malignant breast tumors.
Spaying and neutering also helps cut down on the homeless pet population, she says. Pregnancies lead to more kittens being surrendered to shelters, and some of those cats might be euthanized if they cant find a home.
Benefits Of Spaying Or Neutering Your Adult Cat
Just like with spaying or neutering your kitten, getting your older cat fixed helps lower the risk of health issues that are common in intact cats.
Some of the risks of leaving an older cat intact include pyometra, which is a life-threatening infection of the uterus and is more common in older cats, Dr. Satchu said. Neutered cats are at a lower risk of developing testicular cancers and prostate problems.
Additionally, a neutered male or spayed female cat is at a lower risk of wandering away to seek out mating opportunities, regardless of his or her age.
Should I Spay Or Neuter My Cat?
Why Should I Spay Or Neuter My Cat
Simply put, neutered cats stay safer, tend to experience fewer health problems and dont produce unwanted kittens. Undesirable behaviours like spraying, nervousness, roaming, demanding behaviour and noisiness are reduced or eliminated even in adult cats.
Other reasons to neuter or spay include:
- Reduced fighting and straying
- Reduced risk of feline leukemia and feline AIDS
- Spayed female cats have a lower risk of uterine infection
- Spayed female cats develop mammary cancer less often
- Neutered cats develop hormonal imbalances less often
What Are The Benefits Of Neutering
Population control
Millions of cats are destroyed across North America each year because there are far more cats born than homes available. A single male cat can father many litters so that neutering of intact males is essential for population control. Although sexual desire will be greatly reduced by castration, some experienced males may continue to show sexual interest in females.
“Vasectomies are not performed in cats because this procedure only sterilizes the cat but does not stop production of male hormones.”
Spraying
The most common behavior problem in cats of all ages is indoor elimination at locations other than the litter box. A large number of these cases are cats that spray or mark walls and other vertical household objects. Adult male cats have an extremely strong urge to mark territory, both indoors and out. Neutering reduces or eliminates spraying in approximately 85% of male cats.
“Neutering reduces or eliminates spraying in approximately 85% of male cats.”
Aggression
Cats, whether neutered or intact, can get into fights but most intercat aggression is seen between intact males. This is a direct result of competition between male cats, and because intact male cats roam and protect a muchlarger territory. If these fights lead to punctures or wounds that penetrate the skin, abscesses are a common sequel. Neutering reduces fighting and abscessdevelopment in male cats.
Roaming and sexual attraction
Physical changes
Early Neutering Of Cats: The Risk Factors And Benefits
Nicola Smith Friday, April 1, 2011
Leading feline welfare bodies in the UK are encouraging veterinary suregons to neuter cats earlier to reduce the number of unplanned litters born that lead to many unwanted cats. Veterinary surgeons have been concerned that early neutering may lead to higher mortality rates from surgery, as well as higher incidences of urinary problems, obesity and growth plate fractures. It has been demonstrated that earlier neutering does not cause any long-term health implications, and that the procedure can be performed safely in young kittens as long as the patient is properly prepared, monitored and recovered.
The optimal age to neuter cats is a subject that has provoked much discussion and debate. Cat charities are encouraging veterinary surgeons to neuter cats much younger than has been done traditionally to minimize the number of unplanned litters of kittens born each year . However, many veterinary practices are still following traditional guidelines of neutering from 22 weeks of age because of concerns over long-term health issues and the safety of performing surgery on young patients. The concerns of urinary issues, physeal fractures, obesity and behavioural issues are investigated in this article to determine the long-term implications that early neutering may have . Additionally, nursing considerations with such procedures are discussed, including preparation, prevention of hypothermia and effective monitoring of the patient.
Why Its Important To Spay Your Female Kitten
1. Heats are unpleasant to experience
An unfixed female will go into heat repeatedly until impregnated. Her heat could last 1-2 weeks, and sometimes theres little to no break between heats. Depending on the time of year and your temperature controlled, artificially lit home, she could be in heat almost constantly.
Its very unpleasant to watch your poor girl roll around and scream incessantly in desperation to be bred. Youll want to use earplugs for a couple of weeks and will want to do anything to make it stop. Many females spray just as much as males, too.
Youll also have to guard the doors and windows, as shell be desperate to escape in order to find a male.
2. Unaltered female + no pregnancy = deadly infection
Every time a female cat goes into heat, her body is preparing itself for kittens. The uterus wall will thicken in preparation for pregnancy. If shes not impregnated, the uterus becomes a breeding ground for bacteria, and can quickly turn into a life-threatening condition called pyometra, which is an infection of the uterus.
If its open pyometra , you will see pus or discharge and should bring her to the vet immediately. They may be able to do an emergency spay and save her. But if its closed, the infection is trapped inside and youll have little to no warning. The uterus could rupture or the infection could spread throughout her body, and she could go from being fine to on deaths doorstep in a matter of days.