EARLY SPAY & NEUTER

I think it’s important to address the topic of early spay and neuter since it’s something I practice in my cattery. The biggest belief/concern I hear from buyers when it comes to early is spay and neuter is:

Won’t it stunt their growth?

This is a serious concern so I want to share with you the research I have found on this topic.

STUDY AND FINDINGS

Up until recently, it has always been believed that 6-8  months was the best time to spay/neuter your cat. It was believed that doing it any sooner would result in stunted growth. However, a study was finally conducted on this exact subject and the results were exactly the opposite. The researchers observed that kittens who underwent early spay and neuter actually grew up to be longer and taller cats. That’s right. The kittens who had the surgery performed sooner, grew up to be bigger! Increased bone length was observed in both males and females in the younger groups. Not to mention, another observation recorded was that kittens spayed and neutered at 7 weeks recovered faster than any older age group. Males neutered older in life also were found to be noticeably less affectionate and more aggressive prior to altering than the cats who were neutered at a younger age. I have attached an article written by the Cat Fancier’s Association (CFA) which summarizes the findings of this study. It is succinct and easy to read. https://cfa.org/early-spay-neuter/

PREVENTS BACKYARD BREEDERS

Another reason I think early spay and neuter is so beneficial, is it eliminates the opportunity for would-be backyard breeders to even get started. They can’t illegally breed a cat who has already been spayed/neutered. It’s hard, as a breeder, to tell who wants a kitten because they want a lovely, wonderful pet and who wants a kitten because they want to breed illegally and irresponsibly. I say nip the issue in the bud and send the kittens spayed and neutered.