In fact, cats can be neutered from four months of age, meaning that any festive-feline brought into the home at Christmas is probably already ready for their 'big day'. Neutering a cat when they are young has a huge number of benefits and is one of the most responsible things a cat owner can do.
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. If a cat is neutered after he reached 12 months of age, beware that you may not enjoy the full behavioural benefits of neutering.
Is there a point where a cat is too old to be spayed or neutered? The honest answer is no. No matter what the age, with caution and preparation, even cats in their late teens can successfully be altered. In most every instance, the veterinarian will require blood work before doing surgery on a mature cat.
These days, the early neutering of kittens from 6 - 14 weeks old is supported by organizations such as the American Association of Feline Practitioners (many vets set a weight limit of at least 1kg). In the past, cats were normally neutered at 6 – 8 months old.
Cats become sexually mature from the age of around five months. In order to prevent unwanted pregnancies, it's recommended that cats are neutered at around four months old, after they have completed their primary vaccinations.
Conclusions. The optimal age to spay/neuter a cat is before it reaches 5 months of age. For owned cats, the optimal age would be 4 to 5 months; for cats in shelters, the optimal age could be as early as 8 weeks.
Spraying often starts around six months of age as cats reach sexual maturity. Spaying females and castrating males will reduce or stop spraying behaviour in up to 95% of cats! As a Healthy Pet Club member, your cat can benefit from 20% off neutering!
Another positive aspect of neutering your cat is that neutering can result in a calmer, and sometimes cleaner, home. Without the drive to mate, your cat may be quieter and not prone to cat calls and an incessant need to seek out a mate. The neutered cat no longer feels the need to seek out and serenade females.
There are many benefits to the surgery, however, and one of these is neutered cats can be more affectionate. While it won't change their personality completely — a plus for cat owners who love their kitties just the way they are — it will lower their testosterone levels and reduce behaviors caused by hormones.
The cost of having your cat spayed or neutered depends on your cat's age, size, where you live, and on your individual vet, of course. According to Dr. Liff, the pricing for a routine spaying or neutering of a cat can range anywhere between $250 to $2,000.
It's normal for cats to experience side effects as a result of the anesthesia and the procedure itself after being neutered such as discomfort, nausea, lethargy, and vomiting.
Neutered males also have a greater chance of getting prostate cancer and transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. Spayed females have a greater incidence of urinary incontinence. They may also have a higher risk of bladder infections.
As mentioned above, male cats that aren't neutered tend to become highly territorial. Not only can this behaviour cause fighting with other cats, increasing your cat's risk of injury and disease, but it can also lead to other unsavoury behaviours, such as 'marking'.
The vast majority of cats do not spray. Males are more likely than females to spray, but if a cat is neutered before 6 months, he will almost never spray. If an intact male cat does begin to spray, neutering him will solve the problem in about 95 percent of the cases.
Male cats tend to be more social and affectionate with both humans and other cats. They commonly form strong bonds with other cats in the home, even when they are not from the same litter. Females, on the other hand, are often more standoffish. If you are looking for a cuddle bug, adopting a male may be your best bet.
Most cats should wear their cone for 5-7 days after neutering to avoid licking the incision. Most scrotal incisions heal very quickly. If an abdominal incision was necessary to remove retained testicle(s), then the cone should remain on for 10-14 days or until your cat's recheck examination to assess healing.
There are have been several viral pieces on the Internet over the past few weeks about whether or not spay/neutered pets may be depressed. In short – the answer is a resounding “NO!” I think.
The most effective treatment for urine marking is to neuter or spay your cat, if it has not been done already. Ninety percent of male cats stop marking once they have been neutered.
When spraying, a cat usually backs up to a vertical object like the side of a chair, a wall or a stereo speaker, stands with his body erect and his tail extended straight up in the air, and sprays urine onto the surface. Often his tail and sometimes his entire body twitch while he's spraying.
People are usually marked by cats with their forehead, while furniture and other inanimate objects are marked by the sides of their cheeks and their chins. Cats have scent glands in their paws. Scratching in a variety of areas is the sign of a cat marking and not just working to keep his claws clean and sharp.
How long after a cat is neutered will he stop spraying?
Cat spraying is a common problem and in most cases may be stopped by neutering the cat. Typically, over 90% of cats stop spraying within 6 months after the neutering procedure.
Non-surgical sterilization for dogs, cats and small animals — Calcium chloride dihydrate solution is a chemical sterilant for male animals that is administered via intratesticular injection. It can be obtained through a compounding pharmacy or in pre-measured doses that can be mixed onsite.
Once a cat is neutered the testosterone levels decline significantly within 24 to 48 hours. Allowing for some variation in how quickly this occurs, and traces of tom cat urine that may be "clinging" to the cat's urinary tract, tom cat urine odor should be barely detectable or gone within a week after neutering.
