Have you recently brought home a kitten? You might be wondering if you should get your kitten fixed. Here we explain the benefits of spaying or neutering your cat, including preventing certain diseases and helping minimize many unwanted behaviors.
Should I get my cat fixed?
According to the
ASPCA, about 3.2 million cats arrive at US animal shelters annually.
Spaying or neutering your cat is the absolute best way to help reduce the number of cats currently crowding the shelters due to unplanned pregnancies and feral breeding.
The benefits of spaying and neutering your pet go far beyond just controlling the population and providing relief to our shelter teams. Having your kitten fixed can help to curb many undesirable cat behaviors and reduce the risk of your cat developing many serious health issues!
What is the difference between spaying and neutering?
When we refer to a pet being 'fixed', we are using a blanket term that refers to both the spaying of female 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, also referred to as castration, involves removing the male cat's testicles. When your male cat is neutered, he will be unable to father kittens.
Benefits of spaying your female cat
Help Control Unexpected Births
Even before she reaches six months old, your tiny little kitten may actually be mature enough to have kittens of her own! By spaying your female cat before she reaches this stage, you eliminate the potential for any surprise litters.
Female cats can have as many as four litters a year, and when we consider that the average litter can range from two to ten kittens, that is a staggering number of cats you could end up being responsible for!
Reduce Health Risks for Your Female Cat
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. Pregnancy and the birth process can be risky for young cats, and costly to their humans.
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.
Deter Nuisance Behaviors
Female 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. Unneutered male cats prowling around your property, looking for your female, can be problematic since these males tend to spray, fight and caterwaul.
Spaying your female cat can help to keep male cats out of your backyard.
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.
Benefits of neutering your male cat
Help Control Population
While male cats don't give birth to kittens themselves, one unneutered male cat in your neighborhood can make many un-fixed female cats pregnant. If each of these females had 6-8 kittens each, there would be a whole host of cats now needing homes nearby.
That's why neutering male cats is as important as spaying females when it comes to population control and reducing the burden on shelters!
Reduce Health Risks for Your Male Cat
Neutering can help to reduce cat aggression which may mean fewer injuries from fighting other cats in the neighborhood. This can also 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.
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 human family members. 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.
What are the side effects of spaying or neutering your cat?
Spaying or neutering procedures are typically routine, outpatient procedures completed within a day’s trip to your local primary care clinic.
While they are considered safe, especially with the introduction of Minimally Invasive Technique, risk cannot be totally eliminated from every surgical or medical procedure.
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 you have your cat fixed?
It is typically recommended that kittens be spayed or neutered at around five to six months old. However, every pet is unique so your vet will be able to offer advice on when you should have your cat spayed or neutered.
Adult cats can also be spayed or neutered at any point. If you adopted a cat that isn’t fixed already, or you decide at a later date that it’s time for your cat to be fixed, it’s not too late to have them spayed or neutered!
Please Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding your pet. For an accurate assessment of your pet's condition and unique needs, please make an appointment with your vet.
This article was adapted from content produced by our partners at Falls Road on 7/8/2021
