Should I Spay Or Neuter My Cat?

Many cat parents ask themselves if they should spay or neuter their new cat or kitten when they first bring them home.

While it can be scary to think about your newest family member going through surgery, it’s important to understand the benefits that fixing your cat brings — and why you should do it.

It’s important to know the main difference between the two: spaying is for females, and neutering is for males.
 
So why are these procedures so important? Spaying and neutering are surgical sterilization procedures that stop your cat from reproducing — which means they can help cat overpopulation (and that, in turn, means fewer cats on the streets or in shelters)!
 
But according to Dr. Ann Hohenhaus, a veterinarian at Animal Medical Center in New York City, spaying and neutering isn’t just done to prevent kittens.
 
“Spaying is a necessary procedure that can literally add years to your cat’s life,” Dr. Hohenhaus said.
 
Most — if not all — vets agree that spaying and neutering is the responsible choice. According to Dr. Meghan Carlton, a veterinarian at DoveLewis emergency animal hospital in Portland, Oregon, “Neutering cats is vitally important for society as well as having individual benefits on health and behavior.”
 
Here are some of the biggest reasons why you should get your cat fixed:

Spaying virtually eliminates the risk of uterine and ovarian cancer in female cats, while neutering virtually eliminates the risk of testicular and other reproductive cancers in male cats.
 
“Additionally, spaying decreases the risk of breast cancer in cats — especially if she’s spayed before 6 months of age,” Dr. Hohenhaus said. All this can add years to your cat’s life.
 

Male unneutered cats are more prone to aggression or other dominance-related behaviors — meaning that neutering makes them better pets because it lessens hormonally driven behaviors like aggression and spraying. 

Neutering also means your cat won’t escape to try and find a female cat, which can lead to pet cats getting lost or injured.

Female cats who are spayed are less likely to yowl or try to escape — which can be dangerous, especially if she gets far away from home.

It’s no secret that cat overpopulation is a huge problem. By getting your cat spayed or neutered, you’re helping to fix this issue and get more shelter cats into loving homes.

Being a responsible cat owner means that you take the time to make the best choice for you, your cat and the community. If you have any questions about getting your cat spayed or neutered, be sure to contact your veterinarian.

To learn more about these procedures, you can check out these articles:

“What Do I Need To Know About Spaying My Cat?”

“What Is A Cat Neuter?”