Should i castrate my cat

Welfare issues. There are unlikely to be enough new homes available for them. Health issues. Female cats which are not neutered are more likely to suffer from pyometra infection of the womb later in life and with mammary tumours. Queens with infectious diseases may pass these on to their kittens. Pregnancy and birth are also not without risk.

Wildlife issues. Cats with kittens will hunt more actively and if they are not being fed will need to catch more wildlife to feed their kittens. Reasons for neutering male cats Control of nuisance. Unneutered male cats are likely to stray over a large area, will mark their territory with a very pungent spray and are much more likely to fight — with attendant noise nuisance. They are also likely to suffer from fight injuries such as abscesses.

Because they wander over a large area they are also at greater risk of suffering road traffic accidents. Pet issues. Unneutered male cats will wander from home and may not return. They may also spray inside the home and may be aggressive to their owners. Therefore it is desirable to neuter kittens early enough to ensure that the above problems are prevented.

Most people do not want to live with an unneutered male cat. Population control. Obviously, male cats do not have kittens themselves and it only takes one male in an area to make lots of female cats pregnant, so neutering a female cat makes a great deal more difference to limiting numbers, but it all helps!

Sexing kittens Kittens, especially young kittens, can be hard to sex, and therefore, mistakes are often made. See how to tell what sex a kitten is Spaying a female In the past, it has been suggested that all female cats should be allowed to have one litter of kittens. Castrating a male Castrating a male is equally important as spaying a female to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

Postoperative care Cats usually recover from the neutering operation remarkably quickly. Dark patches of fur in Siamese and related breeds The skin temperature is important in determining the hair colour of some cats eg, Siamese cats.

Age for neutering Traditionally male and female cats have often been neutered at six months of age, but this is after many cats reach sexual maturity and not based on any scientific rationale. The timing of neutering is discussed in more detail in the Cat Group Policy statement Thank you for visiting our website, we hope you have found our information useful.

Donate Now. Most veterinarians recommend neutering kittens before 6 months of age. Neutering to avoid spraying The smell of intact cat urine is one of the nastiest smells out there. The simplest way to eliminate the foul smell is to neuter your kitten. Neutering to avoid roaming Intact males are more likely to wander around, get hit by a car, end up lost or get into a fight.

They can smell a female in heat miles away, and sometimes will do anything to check her out. This can lead to countless undesirable encounters. Neutering to avoid kittens Every time your cat procreates with a female, there is a chance that 4, 6 or more kittens will be brought into this world. Within your own family, this may be a wonderful experience.

Sadly, multiplied by many cats in many cities and states, this seemingly benign event leads to what is called overpopulation. In turn, this leads to countless stray cats and millions of unwanted cats euthanized at shelters every year, nationwide. Does your cat need emergency veterinary care out of hours? Find your nearest clinic for immediate treatment. Enter City, Town, or Postcode. Find my nearest clinic. Need some additional advice? Consult with our vets over video within the hour.

Book an appointment. Find an Emergency Vet Find your nearest clinic for immediate treatment. We offer one-to-one video consultations Here for you every day from 8am to 11pm. Having your dog put to sleep, what you need to know about euthanasia Read More.

Why is my cat sneezing?