One of the most unfortunate facts of animal welfare is that every year more kittens are born than there are good homes to care for them.
As such, most modern societies practice prevention to ensure unwanted kittens are not born.
The most common preventative practice is neutering, but many cat owners don't really understand the benefits of this practice.
Neutering is simply the process of castration in male cats or spaying in female cats.
These are operations in which your cat is anaesthetized and their reproductive organs (ovaries in females and testicles in males) are removed.
These operations are regularly conducted by veterinarians and the associated risks are low.
Indeed, there are many benefits for both female and male cats.
In females, un-neutered cats can reproduce as many as three or four times a year.
Not only does motherhood place high demands on a female cat, it can also reduce her life expectancy.
Moreover, intact females have a tendency to spray urine around your home and garden to advertise herself to potential mates.
Nevertheless, these are somewhat minor costs to not neutering your female cat, but most cat owners are surprised to learn that spaying females also reduces their risk of cancers of the reproductive organs.
With respect to males, intact males will wander great distances in search of a female partner.
These male cats are at higher risk of injury and death due to accident or aggression from other cats and animals.
In addition, tomcats may mark their territory with urine as well, which means your home may be infiltrated with a strong and unpleasant smell.
Typically speaking, female and male cats should be neutered by around 6 months old.
However, as surgical techniques and safer anaesthetics have become available, many veterinarians will neuter cats as early as 8 weeks of age.
Earlier neutering procedures not only reduce the risk that a female cat becomes pregnant before the surgery, but there is no evidence that such procedures have a negative impact on your cat's later development.
So the question as to whether it is too late to neuter your cat remains.
Is there a time period that the surgery can be completed in order for it to be safe and effective?In fact, there is no upper age limit for neutering cats.
Even if you get an adult cat from an animal shelter, s/he can still be neutered safely and effectively.
Both male and female cats can be neutered at any age and this often will reduce or eliminate problem behaviours such as spraying or fighting.
Unfortunately, older male cats may maintain undesirable behaviours even after castration, so it is always advisable to neuter your cat by 6 months at the latest.
As such, most modern societies practice prevention to ensure unwanted kittens are not born.
The most common preventative practice is neutering, but many cat owners don't really understand the benefits of this practice.
Neutering is simply the process of castration in male cats or spaying in female cats.
These are operations in which your cat is anaesthetized and their reproductive organs (ovaries in females and testicles in males) are removed.
These operations are regularly conducted by veterinarians and the associated risks are low.
Indeed, there are many benefits for both female and male cats.
In females, un-neutered cats can reproduce as many as three or four times a year.
Not only does motherhood place high demands on a female cat, it can also reduce her life expectancy.
Moreover, intact females have a tendency to spray urine around your home and garden to advertise herself to potential mates.
Nevertheless, these are somewhat minor costs to not neutering your female cat, but most cat owners are surprised to learn that spaying females also reduces their risk of cancers of the reproductive organs.
With respect to males, intact males will wander great distances in search of a female partner.
These male cats are at higher risk of injury and death due to accident or aggression from other cats and animals.
In addition, tomcats may mark their territory with urine as well, which means your home may be infiltrated with a strong and unpleasant smell.
Typically speaking, female and male cats should be neutered by around 6 months old.
However, as surgical techniques and safer anaesthetics have become available, many veterinarians will neuter cats as early as 8 weeks of age.
Earlier neutering procedures not only reduce the risk that a female cat becomes pregnant before the surgery, but there is no evidence that such procedures have a negative impact on your cat's later development.
So the question as to whether it is too late to neuter your cat remains.
Is there a time period that the surgery can be completed in order for it to be safe and effective?In fact, there is no upper age limit for neutering cats.
Even if you get an adult cat from an animal shelter, s/he can still be neutered safely and effectively.
Both male and female cats can be neutered at any age and this often will reduce or eliminate problem behaviours such as spraying or fighting.
Unfortunately, older male cats may maintain undesirable behaviours even after castration, so it is always advisable to neuter your cat by 6 months at the latest.