However, we typically recommend spaying or neutering kittens at around five to six months old. When should you have your cat fixed?Įach pet is unique and your vet will be able to offer advice on when you should have your cat spayed or neutered.
However, you should always ask your vet which choices are best for your pet. The benefits of neutering or spaying almost always outweigh the risks. Neutered male cats are also at increased risk for developing urinary blockages. For example, cats who have been spayed or neutered do tend to gain weight if their diets are not adjusted accordingly. Of course, while spaying or neutering procedures are routine and considered safe, risk cannot be totally eliminated from every surgical or medical procedure. What are the health effects of spaying or neutering a cat? These males will spray to mark their territory and often fight with other male cats which can be bothersome, noisy, and smelly. Also, male cats who are not neutered, frequently roam over large areas in search of unspayed females to mate with. Having your male kitten neutered while young can help to prevent these behaviors from starting. Unneutered male cats typically spray inside the home more than neutered males and may be aggressive towards their owners. Neutered males also tend to stay closer to home which helps to reduce their risk of being injured by vehicles. Neutering can help to reduce cat aggression and may mean fewer injuries from fighting. Neutering your male cat may help slow the spread of serious cat diseases such as Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) that are often spread between cats during fights. That's why neutering male cats is as important as spaying females when it comes to population control! While male cats don't actually have kittens themselves, one unneutered male cat in your neighborhood can make many female cats pregnant. Spaying your female cat can help to keep male cats out of your backyard. Unneutered male cats prowling around your property, looking for your female, can be problematic since these males have a tendency to spray, fight and caterwaul. Keeping the numbers of homeless cats to a minimum can help to save the lives of countless birds and other wildlife.įemale cats who are not spayed will go into heat frequently throughout the year, attracting male cats from across the neighborhood to your home and garden. It is estimated that cats in the USA kill between 1.4 billion and 3.7 billion birds each year. Pregnancy and the birth process can be risky for young cats, and costly to their owners. 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. Spaying your kitten before she has her first heat can help to reduce her risk of pyometra (infection of the womb) as well as mammary tumors. When we consider that the average litter can range in size from two kittens (from a young mother) to as many as ten kittens, that is a staggering number of unwanted cats. Not only that, female cats can have as many as four litters a year. 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. Your tiny little kitten may actually be mature enough to have kittens of her own before she is even six months old. When your male cat is neutered, he will be unable to father kittens. Neutering (castration) involves removing the male cat's testicles.
When we spay a cat, the uterus and ovaries, or occasionally just the ovaries, of the female cat are surgically removed.Īfter the spaying procedure has been done, she will not be able to have kittens. 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. What is the difference between spaying and neutering? 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. That said, the benefits of spaying and neutering your pet don't stop at controlling the population. Spaying or neutering your cat is the absolute best way to help reduce the number of unwanted cats in the Baltimore area. About 3.2 million cats arrive at US animal shelters annually, according to the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).
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