There are many views on sterilising kittens at an early age. Some believe that early sterilising can cause stunted growth, so when it comes to the maine coon breed and their attractiveness of being a larger breed, many people are concerned that their furry feline will not be as big, if they are sterilised at a young age (which is actually a myth).

 

When it comes to caring for our pets, we should always whey up the pros and cons of the decisions we are about to make for them. For example, clumping litter vs non-clumping litter, commercial diet vs raw diet, filtered water vs non-filtered water, prescription flea & tick treatments vs herbal remedies.... and the list really does go on. It's no different when it comes to early sterilising vs sterilising after puberty vs sterilising after first heat. When is the best time to do it??

 

After a vast amount of research and talking to several different vets, we have personally made the decision to spay/neuter our kittens at an early age and before they go to their new homes. This is for a number of reasons:

• To avoid unwanted pregnancies and contributing to the vast amount of animals that end up in shelters.
• To prevent a life-threatening condition known as pyometra, common in females that have not been spayed.
• To prevent unwanted breeding.
• To reduce the risk of mammary tumours.
• To prevent roaming.
• To prevent spraying and elimination in unwanted places.
• To prevent normal habits of intact cats, such as persistent calling for a mate, lack of interest in food, aggression and again the list goes on.
• To reduce risks of disease, such as FIV and FeLV from fighting with other cats.
• To reduce risk of injury in wandering intact cats.
• To reduce risks of certain cancers.
• To reduce risk of fight wounds.