When Should I Desex My Cat?

by Dr Megan Ross BVSc (hons)

While there can be some debate as to what age to desex your dog or whether you should do it all, with cats the jury is clear – unless you are involved with breeding purebreds, all cats should be neutered and before they get a chance to reproduce.
At certain times of year all the pounds, rescues and shelters are crammed full of kittens born to semi-owned or feral cats so the responsible thing is to try and not add to them. What are semi-owned cats? It’s that cat you see in your neighbourhood on a regular basis that you put out food for. Too often these individuals are supported by a few household but no-one takes responsibility for the cat and before too long numbers can escalate.

So when should you do it?
The ISFM (International society for feline medicine) recommends desexing at 4 months of age, because a proportion of cats will enter sexual maturity from them. Conveniently we can match this up with the timing of their final kitten vaccination. While there are some exceptions to this recommendation, your vet can advise you of this when you bring your kitten in for their early health checks.

What are the pros and cons of desexing my cat?
While there is a small risk from the general anaesthetic and surgery, this is outweighed in the most part by the benefits. Beyond preventing pregnancy, it reduces the chances of the cat picking up infectious disease, especially those that can be transmitted by sexual contact such as feline AIDS. For the boys, there is a massive reduction in the chances of them spraying urine around the house and without castration their urine will develop a noticeable strong odour, even if confined to a litter tray. They are less likely to get involved in fights with other male cats and roam far distances. For the girls it can also reduce the risk of breast cancers in female cats if done before 6 months of age. Plus, if you’ve ever had the chance to see a female cat in heat, you won’t forget their loud and distinctive call that can keep you up at night, while they are yowling and throwing themselves at the window trying to attract a boyfriend!

What does desexing involve?
For both sexes, neutering involves a day surgery. They are dropped off with an empty tummy in the morning. The boys have a simple incision over each testes and the are removed, using their own vessels to tie in a knot to stop the bleeding. Recovery is usually quick and uneventful. For the girls there’s a bit more involved as they require abdominal surgery to remove their ovaries and uterus. They will have several layers of stitches that take a while to dissolve and require the challenge of keeping a kitten quiet for a week with limited running, jumping and zoomies!