Cat Care - Neutering Your Cat
Some cat owners consider it cruel to have their cats neutered or spayed.
This could not be further from the truth and it is actually cruel not to have this done.
This is not only my view but that held by many cat charities around the world.
Many will not allow one of their cats to be homed unless the new owner agrees to have the kitten or cat neutered or spayed within a specific time scale.
Some cat owners may find it hard to accept but the world is over populated by cats.
Without some form of neutering program there would many thousands more unwanted cats roaming the streets and countryside in search of food.
Cat organizations realise this and often support neutering campaigns especially among the feral cat population.
The alternative is a mass cull which no cat lover would want although this is the fate of a large number of feral cats worldwide.
As for the domestic cat there are several reasons to get your cat neutered or spayed.
If you own a Queen the last thing you will want is a litter of kitten which you will have to find homes for.
Experts also believe that neutered cats make better pets as after the operation they tend to lose some of their aggressive spirit.
Neutered cats also tend to live a longer and healthier life.
Because they tend to fight other cats less they also do not pick up so many scratches and injuries that can lead to expensive visits to the vets.
Unneutered cats also tend to wander further from home and can be far more possessive about their territory.
This can lead to such annoying habits as regular "spraying" both inside and outside the home as the cat marks its territory.
The operation itself is not complicated although it is done under a general anaesthetic.
In the case of the female the operation is called an ovariohysterectomy.
This involves the removal of part of the cats uterus and ovaries.
The Cat will have to stay at the vets overnight but will normally be back to normal in a few days.
For the toms the operation involves the removal of the testicles and again they recover quite quickly and are usually allowed home the same day.
Ideally for the male the best time for the operation is when the cat is about six months old but no earlier.
There is an old wives tale that female cats should be allowed to have one litter before they are spayed.
This is rubbish and there is no evidence to support this.
A female cat normally reaches sexual maturity between 6 and nine months and should be spayed then.
This could not be further from the truth and it is actually cruel not to have this done.
This is not only my view but that held by many cat charities around the world.
Many will not allow one of their cats to be homed unless the new owner agrees to have the kitten or cat neutered or spayed within a specific time scale.
Some cat owners may find it hard to accept but the world is over populated by cats.
Without some form of neutering program there would many thousands more unwanted cats roaming the streets and countryside in search of food.
Cat organizations realise this and often support neutering campaigns especially among the feral cat population.
The alternative is a mass cull which no cat lover would want although this is the fate of a large number of feral cats worldwide.
As for the domestic cat there are several reasons to get your cat neutered or spayed.
If you own a Queen the last thing you will want is a litter of kitten which you will have to find homes for.
Experts also believe that neutered cats make better pets as after the operation they tend to lose some of their aggressive spirit.
Neutered cats also tend to live a longer and healthier life.
Because they tend to fight other cats less they also do not pick up so many scratches and injuries that can lead to expensive visits to the vets.
Unneutered cats also tend to wander further from home and can be far more possessive about their territory.
This can lead to such annoying habits as regular "spraying" both inside and outside the home as the cat marks its territory.
The operation itself is not complicated although it is done under a general anaesthetic.
In the case of the female the operation is called an ovariohysterectomy.
This involves the removal of part of the cats uterus and ovaries.
The Cat will have to stay at the vets overnight but will normally be back to normal in a few days.
For the toms the operation involves the removal of the testicles and again they recover quite quickly and are usually allowed home the same day.
Ideally for the male the best time for the operation is when the cat is about six months old but no earlier.
There is an old wives tale that female cats should be allowed to have one litter before they are spayed.
This is rubbish and there is no evidence to support this.
A female cat normally reaches sexual maturity between 6 and nine months and should be spayed then.
Source...