To Neuter or Spay your cat is one of the kindest, most important things you can do for your cat's health and welfare - and for the future cat population. This is a sign that the male cat has already been neutered. If you get your kitten spayed or neutered when it is too young, it can negatively affect the cat. Because the target organs are easy to visualize, veterinary surgeons can complete the procedure within a shorter period of time. And since kittens do not have enough fat to insulate them against the cold, they are at risk of chills or hypothermia. Female cats can get pregnant up to 3 times a year. Well, weâve already touched on it briefly. Information about feline neutering age: when to neuter a cat. However, if you see a bulge, there is a chance that the cat is not yet neutered. There is another criterion for the surgery, however. Cat neutering is a surgical procedure and is painful. And since the procedure is quick, they can warm the young cat a lot sooner than they can with an older cat. When should a male cat be neutered? The kitten is male and I was wondering if I should get him neutered. They get in contact with other animals that harbor germs. The best case scenario is that your cat returns from these little escapes with fleas, ticks or other parasites. Veterinarians used to recommend waiting until a cat was about 6 months old before he or she was neutered, but current guidelines call for neutering to be performed when a cat is between 8 and 16 weeks of age and weighs at least 8 pounds. If the kitty comes from the shelter, some can tell you if the cat is already neutered or not yet. This minimizes the development of any anesthesia-related side effects. Knowing the appropriate age to neuter a male cat can be challenging; traditionally, males were generally neutered at six to eight months old at the earliest, and many pet owners still assume that there are issues or problems involved in neutering earlier, as can be the case for dogs. The best time to alter kitties is before they turn 6 months of age or before puberty. The average cost to spay/neuter a cat can range anywhere between $50 and $100. Related Posts: Probiotics for Cats and Vitamins For Cats. Why Should You Neuter A Male Kitten? On the average, kittens reach sexual maturity around 6 to 9 months of age. However, if you spay or neuter your kitten too late, you can miss out on some of ⦠It also makes them less vocal, something that the neighborhood will appreciate at night. Determining if a female cat is already spayed or not is a lot more challenging. âSpaying is a surgical procedure to prevent unwanted pregnancies in female cats,â Dr. Ann Hohenhaus, a veterinarian at Animal Medical Center in New York City, told The Dodo. To find a lower-cost spay/neuter clinic near you, please visit the ASPCAâs Free and Low-Cost Spay/Neuter ⦠A kitty as young as 2 months can undergo the spaying procedure if it weighs 2 pounds. You can spay or neuter kittens not long after Mama cat gets fixed. Your veterinary clinic will provide pre-surgical advice that you should follow. This will save you from a host of problems, and your beloved cat will lead a pleasant and happy life. The decision to spay or neuter your cat will be one of the biggest decisions you make regarding your catâs health and welfare as well as the welfare of other cats.The pet overpopulation problem is devastatingly serious and animals are being put to death every ⦠Does neutering change a catâs personality? Your petâs oxygen level and heart rate are monitored with a machine while he is under anesthesia. Getting Your Cat Neutered Make sure your cat fasts before his procedure. When is the Best Time to Neuter a Cat? If there are too many kittens getting born, there may be not enough people to adopt them and care for them. That being said, I would personally recommend getting your cat spayed as early as two months.Kittens are pretty impressive little creatures, male cats can sire kittens as young as five months old and females can get pregnant as early as 4 months old! But nowadays the tendency is to do it after only 4 or 5 months. Since one of the inherent aims of neutering is to induce infertility or sterility in the cat, neutering should be ⦠If they cannot, then you should be able to determine for yourself the neutered status of the cat. Veterinary surgeons often focus their attention on keeping the kitten warm. Doing so will help you avoid a range of problems for you and your recently welcomed cat. One of the reasons why some veterinarians do not recommend neutering a cat earlier than 6 months of age is the risk of health problems. If your cat does become pregnant, this comes with extra responsibility and worry of having to care for her through her ⦠- Causes. Sometimes, six months of age is more suitable in case of certain breeds. Your vet will advise you on the best time for the intervention after taking this information into account. Discover attributes of each option to determine when to neuter your feline friend. This procedure ensures your cat is unable to reproduce and stops the production of hormones that are responsible for the cat's sexual behaviour. Under what circumstances should you neuter a cat? Itâs the natural protection from reproduction, which helps to avoid the case of unwanted kitty babies that are often being euthanized. A neutered cat will still have testosterone, and if your cat was neutered at an old ageâwhen habits are already well establishedâhe might keep chasing ladies. I asked around and heard conflicting ideas; some said yes, some said no. Spaying and neutering limits pet overpopulation. Early spay neuter (less than 8 weeks of age) is typically done by rescues and animal shelters before the pet is adopted out, in an attempt to minimize pet overpopulation. Over the past several decades, the recommended age for spay (ovariohysterectomy) or neuter (castration) of cats has changed. In general, avoid giving your cat any food after midnight the night before surgery. To most cat owners, whether to neuter their cat is the hardest of all decisions to make. Any organism that undergoes surgery will have to undergo fasting for several hours prior to the surgery. The male-specific term is castration, while spaying is usually reserved for female animals. While early neutering in kittens can pose many advantages, there are also disadvantages. My Budgie's Beak has Cracked - What Should I Do? These routine surgeries typically cost up to $200, depending on the vet and the facility. Neutering doesnât completely eliminate the risk of FIV or FeLV but ⦠The experts concluded that considering the huge problem of cat overpopulation, early age spay/neuter is a recommended practice. It does not affect the kitten’s physical and musculoskeletal development. Helping Your Pet Before and After Surgery. This will help avoid regurgitating the stomach contents back into the esophagus and cause it to go into the airways. As soon as the patient cat is discharged from the operating room, the first order of business is to prevent the wounds from being tampered or infected. This depends on your veterinarianâs preference, most vets practise early spay and neuter which can be performed from 8-10 weeks, and unless medically contraindicated, all males should be neutered by five months. That means the procedure might not eliminate certain behaviors, including seeking out female cats. Neutering changes his appearance.Your cat will look different because his testicles will no longer be present. Nursing females can be spayed when their kittens are eating solid food. For years, youâve probably heard that the best age for this reproductive surgery is six months, but times change. The ovaries, fallopian tubes and uterus are removed after the cat is ⦠Will My Cat Be Different? Neutering is a routine operation performed by a vet to remove a cat's sex organs. Why neuter? To care for your cat after neutering or spaying, keep it in a quiet, comfortable place indoors for the first 18-24 hours so it can rest without being interrupted. There are many feline behavioral problems that neutering can address. There's no question regarding the benefits of male cat neutering. There are debates among veterinarians regarding the best time to neuter your cat. While veterinarians traditionally neutered cats at about 6 months of age, early neutering is becoming more acceptable and common. Although the cost to neuter a cat varies, neutering usually costs a little less than a spay surgery. The best age to neuter a male cat depends on the circumstances; there is no particular, universal time. Video of the Day The best time for the neutering is just before or after reaching the sexual maturity. Unfortunately, no two kittens will have the same exact growth rate. To understand the whole process, its advantages, disadvantages, risk factors and side effects, read along. This happens very quickly depending on breed, time of year born and individual development. The surgery itself can actually be completed in less than 5 minutes. Neutered cats gain weight after neutering because their metabolisms slow down, so they get bigger and chunkier. The younger the kitty, the quicker their healing! You can always ask your veterinarian to confirm your findings. Cats become sexually mature from the age of around five months. When is the best time to neuter a cat? Some may also put a blue-green marking at the site of the surgical incision. For kittens, the answer is easy: the earlier the better. The American Veterinary Medical Association also supports the early sterilization of kittens. In line with the recommendations of the American Association of Feline Practitioners, early neutering or spaying can provide many advantages. For female cats, spaying will reduce the likelihood of having too many tomcats approaching the female kitty when it is in ‘season’. For this reason, they will also fight with other male cats. Standard spay and neuter at five to six months. Veterinarians and pet owners are taking a closer look at when it should occur. If you have a cat and would like to spay or neuter her/him, you should find out about the best time to do this. Many pet owners find that the cost to spay/neuter a [â¦] You should not see anything bulging in this area. All cats and kittens should be either spayed or neutered unless the owner is in the business of raising purebred cats. If you decide to adopt a kitten, you will need to decide when to spay or neuter it. Kittens undergoing surgery also bleed less than adult or older kitties. There is no solid evidence to support such a practice. I love how you made it right out clear and bold that you should always neuter a male cat. Best Age to Neuter a Kitten On the average, kittens reach sexual maturity around 6 to 9 months of age. Most cat owners decide to get their cat neutered when they are about 6 months old. When to Spay or Neuter Your Cat There is debate among veterinarians about the time to spay/neuter your cat, says Dr. Adam Denish of Rhawnhurst Animal Hospital in Elkins Park, PA. There is however, much ongoing debate about the best age to neuter a male cat. However, with the advent of modern pain medications and a better understanding of pain control in cats, most felines experience minimal discomfort after surgery when all post-surgical recommendations are followed. 7. This helps them stay protected against these viruses. Probably not. For years, youâve probably heard that the best age for this reproductive surgery is six months, but times change. Talk to your veterinarian to determine the best time to spay or neuter your pet. Given the variability of feline growth rates, veterinarians now recommend pediatric neutering. However, the VTFFS’s review of scientific literature showed that early neutering does not cause any health issue in the growing cat. This is also called early or pediatric spay or neuter. Today, many veterinarians and spay/neuter facilities perform the surgeries on kittens starting at the age of 3 months, if they weigh at least 2 pounds. To protect your female cat from pregnancy, she will need to undergo a simple operation (before she turns four months old) known as 'spaying.' "Fixed" male cats seldom engage in the undesirable behaviors of intact males, including fighting, urine spraying, roaming and yowling. Advances in veterinary surgery now make it possible to safely remove a young cat’s reproductive organs at an earlier age. The Three Ages A Cat Can Be Neutered Neutering or spaying your kitten can help solve a lot of behavioral issues in cats. Standard spay neuter (at 5-6 months of age) is typically what most veterinarians recommendâespecially for cats. Related Posts: Cat Calming Sprays and Dewormers For Cats. 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. Before receiving general anesthesia, your pet is given a shot of medication to make him sleepy and to help with pain. Cat Spaying is Safe Spaying a female cat is a more involved and invasive procedure, and as such is often more expensive. This means they are now fully-capable of reproduction. And the answer isnât what you might think. Neutering is the surgical removal of a male (tom) cat's testicles. My Dog Got Stung by a Wasp, What Should I Do? Some time ago, it was usually advised to neuter male cats once they reached 9 months of age. Less risk of infectious diseases. Feline sterilization can also help curb the incidence of disease while controlling the population of cats. Early neutering can also lead to several developmental problems. Spaying your female pet drastically slashes her risk of mammary cancer, which is fatal in about 50% of dogs and 90% of cats. The shorter surgical period and smaller amounts of anesthetic agent used can help in the faster recovery of the kitten. Some time ago, it was usually advised to neuter male cats once they reached 9 months of age. 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. A non-neutered adult male cat can be brutal with a younger female cat, even when they're not in heat. The large jowls on an entire British Shorthair male are linked to testosterone: but once neutered the testosterone levels drop anyway, reducing the jowl size, no matter what age the cat is when he is neutered. The kitten should weigh not less than 2.2 lbs at the time of the surgery. This reduces the incidence of spraying, caterwauling, and fighting. You should neuter your British Shorthair cat between four and six months old. Neutering male cats can help prevent the spread of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus and Feline Leukemia Virus. The cat neuter is one exception; a face mask is used instead, because it is such a fast surgery. But nowadays the tendency is to do it after only 4 or 5 months. Male cats should be neutered at six months which is usually the time when they become sexually active, however, they can be neutered at any age thereafter. It also helps reduce territorial marking behaviors and aggression. Veterinarians and pet owners are taking a closer look at when it should occur. Neutering your cat can have really great benefits, both to them and to you! To put it simply, you should always neuter a male cat. Though, itâs important to state that there are more advantages that disadvantages when it comes to neutering a cat. Having your kitten neutered is a common procedure with plenty of benefits for your cat and your home. For cats: It is generally considered safe for kittens as young as eight weeks old to be spayed or neutered. See myth 3 (section 8c) for more. Most vets will check liver and kidney function prior to surgery. And the answer isnât what you might think. It can, but typically for the better. The term spaying can be used in reference to female cats. This also means that the anesthetic agent they will employ in the surgery will be a short-acting type. Much will depend on whether there is an un-spayed female cat at home. The purpose of this free spay and neuter for cats near me is to help the owner with a low budget make the health decision of spaying or neutralizing in a customized allowance.The primary function of neutralizing any animal is to stop the overgrowing amount of unwanted critters. "Neutering" is often used incorrectly to refer only to male animals, but the term actually applies to both sexes. They say that it exposes the young kitten to needless harm. It also promotes better health. This is one of the results of unmitigated population growth in cats. Since one of the inherent aims of neutering is to induce infertility or sterility in the cat, neutering should be done before the kitten achieves full sexual maturity. When they are young, tomcats are more affectionate than females. When do you spay or neuter a dog or cat? These cats will live in back alleys, thriving on whatever scraps of food they could find. The first season usually occurs around six months but can be earlier. The age of sexual maturity though can be as young as 4 months of age. There is a lot of conflicting advice out there, and opinions differ depending on who you are talking to. Neutering, desexing, or castrating males (these are all different ways of expressing the term castration) is commonly done from 5 -6 months of age, before the cat reaches sexual maturity. Itâs possible to spay a female cat while sheâs in heat. After neutering, your cat will return to her old, playful self ⦠A female cat will be spayed and a male cat will be neutered. This is the basis for the AAFP’s current recommendation to neuter or spay a kitten as young as 6 weeks old. They roam the streets and live in the wild. Get the facts first so you can make the best choice for your male cat. Kittens as young as nine weeks can be neutered. 3. A newly-adopted cat will get lost more easily if it leaves the house in search of a cat in heat, since it won't be familiar with its surroundings. Cat neutering offers many benefits, but making the choice to have your cat neutered is a personal, important decision. Kittens can get neutered or spayed as early as 6 weeks of age, provided they already weigh at least 2.2 lbs. It is important to neuter a female cat before she can have kittens herself. 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