Question:
Hey Everyone!
I just took my Lola in to get spayed today I miss her so much already! She is 5 months old. The vet said that we could bring Oli in anytime to get neutered also...but I feel that he is too young...he just turned 3 months. I thought it wasn't time to take them in until 5-6 months. Does anyone know? I feel like the vet just wants me to keep forking over money
Answer:
Many vets have been doing early spay and neutering for years with good results. When I fostered a litter of kittens I spayed and neutered everyone at 12 weeks old before anyone went to knew homes. As long as he's big enough and your vet is comfortable, 3 months is old enough. But if you want to wait until 5 months, that's up to you. But 3 months is old enough.
Signature & avatar by ForJazz
Answer:
Thanks, it's good to know that it can be done that early and not harm the kitten...I think I'll wait at least other month...save up some money!
Answer:
It's more expensive to neuter if the testicles haven't descended yet, so if you can't tell, ask your vet to check.
Tim

Answer:
His testicles should be there already. I think its perfectly ok to neuter young male cats, as the surgery itself is so quick and routine. However, I have waited a little longer with all of my boys, simply for personal choice reasons. If you can keep him confined, its up to you.
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Answer:
There's some kittens about three months up for adoption at the local Pet Supplies Plus store, and one of the little boy cats very obviously has his little pair of balls, so your little boy is probably ready, too!!
Tim

Answer:
While the new trend is to do it early, as early as 7-8 weeks, I would suggest otherwise. Males especialy, skeleletal development will NOT progress properly. This is espacialy true with the facial bone structure where features remain slight juvenile. Males neutered young will have thinner bones charachteristic of females. They will also not develop the musculature as intended. Although neutering males early does not cause decreased quaility of life. I suggest doing it at 1 year, or until after puberty. Yes, males will spray, but they ought be allowed to develope into proper physical male specimens before being neutered.
Answer:
Sorry, Can_Man, I have to disagree with that. All the reasons you listed for waiting are, from another point of view, the same reasons in favor of earlier neutering.
(1) many people prefer the narrower, juvenile-looking face, without the tom cat's cheek ruffs (or whatever you call them)
(2) same with the more slender bone structure
(3) neutering before puberty avoids not only spraying, but the strong urine smell that comes after puberty, and doesn't always completely go away after late neutering.
What is a "proper physical specimen?" If neutering doesn't not harm the health of the cat (in fact all the evidence is that it enhances the health of the cat), the "proper physical specimen" is completely in the eye of the beholder, i.e. the cat's human companions. If you prefer a big, husky male cat with stinky urine and a propensity to spray, why, then, go ahead and wait until well after puberty. But there's no reason from the cat's point of view why it's necessary. It's strictly your own choice.
Tim

Answer:
A proper physical specimen is a male cat that matured as nature intended it to mature. That is, with the presence of its testicles.
The question is NOT what you or I like, the question is how nature intended the cat to mature. I don't think you are saying that people should neuter male cats simply because they like the "look" of neutered male cats? This would be saying that a cat is like a car, that its ok to customize it because we like a certain "look".
When I described points 1 and 2 in your post, you assumed that was what I favored them NOT to look like from a personal point of view. No, I was describing the effects of neutering early. If hypothetically early neutering caused the opposite effect, I would have brought that fact up instead.
Science does not yet fully understand how our own bodies exactly function. Only 5 or 10% of the human brain is understood for example. I think it would be extremely arrogant to assume we know EVERYTHING good and bad that happens to a cat after it is neutered early. To say it is good for a cat to loose a body part which it was born with, is to claim we as humans have intellectually conquered the complexity of nature.
Answer:
Still disagreeing with you. As I interpret your point of view, the only "proper physical specimen" is a creature that is perfect is all respects as designed by nature. As I read your words, you have no room for a creature that is less....a creature that was not allowed to reach full sexual maturity, and that can be extended to a creature that is deformed or aberrant or has suffered an accidental loss of a body part, or is weak and ill.
All creatures are worthy of life. And love and respect, either from their creator, and/or from their caretaker, in the case of domesticated animals. I'm sorry, I just don't hold with the point of view that you seem to espouse.
And as for "customized" animals, humans have been customizing their domesticated animals for one reason or another, including appearance, for thousands of years. Are they any less worthy? Are they rejected by nature as being incomplete?
Sorry, but you fail to convince me. Any domesticated animal that is healthy and happy and living a good life in the care of its human companions, even though it's not "as nature intended" is an animal just as worth of life as any other. What does nature intend, anyway? That an animal be given a chance to live. That's all.
I find your arguments indefensible. Sorry if you're offended ... I don't mean to be offensive. I'm just explaining the way I see it. You have every right to see it your own way. But I think you'll find your point of view in the minority in this community.
All the evidence I have come across favors neutering the male cat before puberty. I can tell you from my own experience that the neutered male cat is certainly no less of a male, other than he can't procreate, doesn't have any urge to mate, and avoids most of the more obnoxious tom cat behaviors. But my boy cats are certainly boys, as is my spayed girl cat certainly a girl!!
Tim

Answer:
I dont believe you read what I said, i was not talking about worth.
What I said was in no way shape or form about the worth of the cat. I never said or implied even that a cat that is neutered is NOT "just as worth of life as any other." So your reply is puzzling to say the least.
I did not say neutered cats are less worthy and I did not talk about room. I recentyl adopted a gray DSH that was neutered at 7 weeks. It would have been great if he was not neutered, but that doesn't preclude him from recieving my full love and care.
Answer:
I understand what you're saying. You're saying "don't mess with Ma Nature" and proceeding from that that Ma Nature intended a cat to grow up with his balls intact, and that if he doesn't, he's deficient in some way. I say not the case. That in fact, veterinary science has shown he's better off without them. And that doesn't even bring in the whole question of impregnating females and begetting many new cats when there are too many already.
I also understand you're saying the a male cat isn't a "proper physical specimen" unless he matures with his testicles intact. I don't agree with that and frankly don't even care for the choice of words. Who are we to say what is proper, unless the cat is a pedigreed show cat, in which proper is determined by the appropriate breed association?
Tim

Answer:
Nature dictates what is proper, not I, not some breeders association. We are not to say what is "proper." Nature decided this.
Again, you are misrepresenting what I just said, just as you did when you implied that I said neutered males are less worthy. Now you assume I am defining what is proper. Nature defines what a proper male cat specimen is. A proper male cat was meant to mature with his testicles. A male cat who was neutered young will NOT be a proper male specimen. Not being a proper specimen does NOT mean the cat is less worthy of life, my care or love.
You can keep your belief, and I think you are wrong. Why I do is stated more than once already. I have chosen to err on the side of nature, you have not.
Answer:
When I told an acquaintence that I'd just had my girls spayed, her jaw dropped and her eyes flew wide open in horror. I kid you not, her hand flew to her heart and she said, "You are depriving those animals their [/i]WOMANHOOD!!"[/i]
I laughed very hard.
I'm sorry, but the physical prowess of a neutered male housecat isn't really an issue. They don't have to fight for their mates, they don't have to prowl the jungles. Aside from that, a "proper male specimen" isn't neutered at all.
I'm absolutely bewildered by this entire conversation. But I suppose I'm just anti-nature, or whatever it is my views must mean.
Neuter your little one whenever you think it best, mckenna. He certainly won't suffer for being neutered now. My cat was neutered as a tiny one, and he matured into a massive, arrogant boy. He certainly wasn't hindered in any way.
Good luck!
Lisa - Owned by Polly, Mimi, and Muffin
In memory of Snuggles 11/28/1988 - 12/16/2004
Answer:
So if male cats weren't to be neutered until after 12 months of age, would these cats have to be kept strictly indoors, in your opinion, Can_Man? Not keeping them indoors would lead to an increase of unwanted kittens, FIV, FeLV, cat fights, and roaming leading to more RTAs.
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