WHEN SHOULD MY CAT BE NEUTERED?

Providing there is no medical reason not to, the best time to neuter your kitten is at four months of age, before they start to become sexually mature.

BENEFITS OF NEUTERING – WHY SHOULD MY CAT BE NEUTERED?

HEALTH AND WELFARE

When in season, unneutered cats will have much more physical strain put on their bodies than neutered cats. This is due to the changes in their hormones, increased activity and restlessness, and for females the process of producing and looking after a litter of kittens.

Unneutered female cats are more likely to suffer from pyometria (an infection in their womb) and cancers of the ovaries, uterus and mammary glands later in life.

Unneutered females are more likely to contract serious life-threatening diseases (such as FIV), which can be passed on via the infected saliva of a male cat when he bites her neck during mating.

If the mother is sick, she can pass on her illnesses to the kittens, making them sick too. These illnesses may include:

• Cat Flu – in young kittens this can lead to loss of eyesight or severe damage to their eyes and even death from secondary infections caused by the flu.
• Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) – FIV is an incurable disease which affects the cat's immune system and can lead to long-term negative impacts on their health.
• Feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) – like leukaemia in humans, this virus can significantly increase the risk of cats developing anaemia, immunosuppression and also cancer. An estimated 80-90% of cats infected with FeLV die within 3-4 years of being diagnosed with the disease.
• Feline infectious enteritis (FIE) – this virus causes severe gastroenteritis and, in infected kittens, can often lead to death. Pregnant females who are infected with FIE, the virus can spread to her unborn kittens, causing them permanent brain damage.

Unneutered males are more likely to get in to fights with other cats, also putting them at greater risk of contracting the same life-threatening diseases as females. Increased fighting may also increase their risk of serious physical injury.

BEHAVIOUR

When in season, unneutered females are likely to go outside more, seeking mates. Unneutered males are also likely to go outside and roam a lot further from home than usual. For both sexes, this may potentially put them in harm’s way of busy roads and other hazards they would normally otherwise avoid.

The changes in the hormones of unneutered cats when in season may lead to increased restlessness, general stress and arousal, a decreased ability to relax and potential changes in the cat's behaviour towards humans.

Unneutered cats may be more likely to spray indoors and outdoors.

If your cat is used to going outside and you keep them inside while they are in season to avoid unwanted kittens, this may lead to a significant compromise to their welfare, leading to a very stressed, frustrated and unhappy cat who is desperate to go outdoors.

ENVIRONMENTAL

Females with kittens to feed are more likely to actively hunt and disturb wildlife.

Unneutered females may be very vocal and will attract unneutered toms to an area which could then be very disturbing and stressful for other neighbourhood cats, as well as a nuisance to local residents.