Lots of people still believe the old saying that it’s best to let your cat have one litter before being neutered. Well, as someone involved with a cat charity, I can tell you that this is WRONG. There are many good reasons for having your cat neutered before it even gets the chance to present you with a litter of cute kittens.
Keeping numbers down! I love all cats, but they deserve a good home, and if too many are allowed to breed, there will be far too many kittens (and soon adults) to home. We are inundated with kittens much of the time. Remember, a female can become fertile as early as 6 months, so needs to be sterilised as early as possible. I once adopted a cat who had had kittens very young, when she was still really only a baby herself.
An outdoor male absolutely needs to be neutered. Not only will it stop him fathering hundreds of kittens (even if he won’t have to pay child support), but an uncastrated male will be more likely to fight. This means the risk of injury and transmission of diseases.
If you haven’t heard a female call out when she’s in heat, then I promise you that it will drive you nuts. I lasted 2 days when my kitten first went in heat – she was off to the vet at the first opportunity. Peace has been resumed, and kitty is no longer trying to get too friendly with anyone and anything.
Some owners are reluctant to put their cat through an operation. No need to worry, I can assure you. It’s a common procedure after all, and the cat soon recovers. I’ve looked after several foster cats, and they’re soon up and back to normal. Nor will the cat fret because it is childless (or kittenless), it won’t be missing out!
It’s beneficial for the cat’s health. Neutered females have a reduced chance of problems such as ovarian cysts, and males of testicular cancer and feline aids. Isn’t your cat’s health the most important consideration?
It might be natural for a cat to breed, but a female does run the risk of complications during pregnancy. Most cats just get on with giving birth, and know exactly what to do, but sometimes things do go wrong. No risk of that if she can’t get pregnant!
Most neutered males stop spraying around the house. This is a truly vile odour, as even non cat owners will know if an entire male has ever sneaked into their house. Trust me, you just don’t want to smell it.
So, as you can see, there are lots of excellent reasons for getting your cat neutered! The best reason is of course, the animal’s own welfare. With vast numbers of unwanted cats out there, it’s really best to be a responsible owner and not risk adding more kittens to the world.
Top Photo Credit: Imhara