Early Spay/Neutering

Why you should spay/neuter your kitten

  • Population control: Neutering before your cat reaches sexual maturity, can help prevent unwanted litters. 
  • Health: Neutering can reduce the risk of mammary tumours in female cats and reproductive emergencies in both male and female cats. 
  • Behaviour: Neutering can reduce behavioural problems like urine marking, vocalising, and roaming.

Effects of neutering

  • Neutering a kitten at a young age is generally considered safe and does not hinder their mental growth.
  • Research has shown that early neutering does not adversely affect a kitten's cognitive development or overall behaviour.

The procedure

  • A surgical procedure that involves removing the testicles in male animals or the uterus and ovaries in female animals. The procedure is performed under general anaesthetic.
  • A veterinarian examines the kitten.
  • The kitten is given a sedative and pain medication.
  • The kitten is anesthetised.
  • An incision is made in the scrotum or abdomen.
  • The testicles or uterus and ovaries are removed.
  • The incision is closed with sutures.
  • The kitten is monitored while waking up from anaesthesia.
  • The kitten recovers at home comfortably and safely.

Myths

Myth - Early neutering causes developmental problems.

Fact - There is no evidence that early neutering causes developmental problems. In fact, early neutering has lower morbidity than conventional neutering. 

 

Myth - Early neutering causes behavioural issues.

Fact - Early neutering can reduce or eliminate territorial marking, fighting, and roaming in male cats. 

 
Myth - Early neutering causes weight gain.
Fact - Early neutering doesn't cause weight gain. 
 
Myth - Cats should have one litter before being neutered.
Fact - Neutering a cat before they reach sexual maturity doesn't increase the risk of accidental pregnancy. A female cat is at high risk of developing Pyometra, which is life threatening, if she is allowed to have heats without pregnancy.
 
Myth - Neutering a cat is expensive.
Fact - Many organisations and shelters offer low-cost spay/neuter services and most kitten plans, purchased through your vet, offer discounts/free neutering as part of the plan.
 
Myth - Neutering a cat is painful.
Fact - Improved surgical techniques, anaesthetic drugs and equipment have made the risks of anaesthesia and pain management for kittens lower, than in the past.

Our Choice

In an ideal world, we would have our kittens neutered before they leave us at 13/14 weeks of age. However, we have really struggled to find a vet within a reasonable distance that will do it as such a young age.

 

We have therefore, written into our Contract of Sale, that our kittens must be neutered/spayed before 7 months of age. We have specifically chosen this age for a number of reasons:

  • We understand that different vet practices have different age preferences for neutering and spaying, but all vets should be happy to preform the procedure by 7 months of age.
  • Stud tail usually occurs from 8/9 months of age.
  • Females often come into their first heat around 9 months of age.
  • Males often start spraying and showing signs of unwanted behaviour around 8/9 months of age (especially if you have other pets).