Neutering cats

At what age should I sterilise my cat

Max. D Gray
By Max. D Gray. Updated: January 20, 2017
At what age should I sterilise my cat
Image: animalmascota.com

If you have a cat and you don't want it to reproduce, the best thing to do is to get it castrated or sterilised. First, you should know whether or not your cat is in heat because if it has not passed its first heat your cat will not be able to undergo this procedure. Furthermore, you should know that sterilizing or neutering your cat is important to not contribute to the overpopulation of felines. If you have any doubts about when its best to do it, OneHowTo.com will tell you at what age you should get your cat sterilised.

You may also be interested in: How much should my cat eat

Contents

  1. When to neuter your cat
  2. Age
  3. Adverse effects

When to neuter your cat

The main thing to consider is whether you should do it before or after the sexual maturity your cat. It is a question that has some controversy because some believe you should do before and others who think you should wait until it's passed its first heat.

In the case of females is better to wait for the first heat to pass, and in the case of males you can wait to, but if you have doubts, do not hesitate to consult your veterinarian. This will avoid possible unwanted pregnancies and any male behaviour will disappear without your cat marking their territory around the house.

Age

Long ago they used to perform sterilization belatedly, when cats were about 6 to 8 months old, which left lots of people with the surprise of unwanted pregnancies, and male cats whose territorial behaviour took ages to disappear.

Several studies claim that the right age in cats ranges from 8 and 16 weeks old for males, and that you should wait for the first heat to pass for female cats. There are still people who prefer to wait until the cat is between 5 and 7 months old. However castration can be conducted at any age.

At what age should I sterilise my cat - Age

Adverse effects

Castrating or sterilising your cat has no adverse effect. Postoperative care is like any other and you need to know how to care for your cat after sterilisation so it can recover properly. In the long run it's better for your cat, as it improves its life and it will be less aggressive.

If you are considering the possibility of castrating or sterilising your cat, please consult your veterinarian so that he can guide you as to the age and maturity of your cat.

For more information on cats, find out why your cat is fat, why does your cat meow so much and how to stop my cat from jumping on my bed.

If you want to read similar articles to At what age should I sterilise my cat, we recommend you visit our Pets category.

Write a comment
What did you think of this article?
2 comments
Rating:
Sue Timewell
It is not necessary to wait till after a first heat to spay. In fact this makes the surgery more complicated because the uterine blood vessels are now supplied with blood. Early spay and nueter is now commonly done as long as the kitten is two lbs and healthy. They heal much faster as well.
OneHowTo Editor
Hi Sue,
We understand there is a lot of debate on this issue. However, our specialized vet does not agree with the possible advantages of sterilizing a cat so young. It all depends on the type of anesthesia the vet uses, youger kittens have not yet fully developed their kidneys or liver and there is therefore a higher risk of harming the cat with anesthesia. Some clinics use safer (and more expensive) options. The advantages of spaying a cat before its first heat are mainly applied to stray cats and those living in colonies. There is no doubt there are articles in favor of neutering before their first heat, as they avoid problems with their reproductive system etc. But there are also other reliable sources that point out there are risks of future renal problems. There are many factors to take into account and your vet's opinion may differ, even the American Vet association defends early sterilization but there are others that are totally against it. For further information on the advantages and disadvantages of early sterilization, we'd like to refer you to this reliable source: http://www.pet-informed-veterinary-advice-online.com/spaying-cats.html#age-spay

Hope this helps
Grady Powell
why are people afraid to use the letter "z" in sterilize? I see this everywhere, dam...
Image: animalmascota.com
1 of 2
At what age should I sterilise my cat