What age should kittens be neutered, opinions?

morganafay

Would you recommend I get my kittens spayed at 4 months, or wait a bit longer? I hate the idea of tiny kittens being neutered, but is it a bit risk or not really? My vet said she'd neuter them at 3-4 months no problem.

I would definitely get them neutered by 6 months, but I'm sure they wouldn't get pregnant anyway because it'll be autumn/winter by the time they're old enough. I've never had a cat come into heat before 7-8 months.

But I don't want tom cats around either (there's an especially aggressive one around sometimes). And I agreed with the ISPCA to keep them inside til they were neutered, but they really want to go out and play (They'll still be left inside once they're older anyway.)

So what age do you think is best? I'd get them neutered at 4 months if I think it's safe enough, just to get it over with and leave them play outside.

boomerang

Four months is absolutely fine. We've been doing our kittens at that age for quite a while now - in fact our vet is happy to do them at twelve weeks.

morganafay

Thanks I think I will get them neutered as early as the vet says it's ok. When I go to get them vaccinated at 12 weeks I'll ask her if they're big enough.

My vet is happy to do them at 12 weeks too, she was trying to convince me to get my last cat spayed since she was 12 weeks, but I waited til she was 7 or 8 months old (she had a few illnesses whenever we were going to get her spayed!) And the vet said she could tell she was just about to go into heat (she bled a bit and had a little cyst on her ovary), so I'm definitely getting these ones neutered earlier!

The Sweeper

Most of mine were done between 8 and 10 weeks (it's a rescue thing over here - they refuse to rehome animals that are not desexed, but most people want kittens, so if they're in the shelter from kittenhood, they're desexed as soon as they reach the desirable weight, which is about 1-1.2kgs). Males have open castration, so no stitches, and they go home with a painkilling shot that lasts about 24 hours and they're usually fine and skipping about within two days.

Females have the incision on their stomach, so no massive shaving of the side. It's usually closed with 2-3 stitches and you should keep them quiet for the first week (no massive jumping on or off things or racing about). Neutered young, with the incision on their tummies, they don't need elizabethan collars after the procedure. They barely realise it's been done, plus the fur regrowth is far less than with a side incision so the area is far less itchy.

With the onset of young neutering, there is research popping up into the effects of neutering before the animal has had a chance at puberty hormones. One of the effects is something to do with bone growth plates closing later because one of the triggers to them closing is the wash of hormones in puberty - however this hasn't been recorded as an adverse effect. It simply means that some animals may end up larger, because they continue to grow for a bit longer without their puberty hormones (a marked counterpoint to the claim that neutering will stunt their growth!)

I'd just get it done as soon as the vet is willing and the kittens are the right weight and health for it.

MsFifers

I got my 2 done at 4 months - as they were brother & sister and seemed to be getting a little bit "inappropriate" with each other I didn't want to take any chances! They were both fine - jumping around the place a few hours later.

My neighbour last year decided to wait until his kitten was a year old but of course it got pregnant at about 5 months! It hadn't a clue what to do with the kittens when they came and they all died. :mad:

Feargal as Luimneach

5 months

mymo

My vet will neuter as soon as kittens are big enough, he does ask age but also how big.
I know he recommended 4 months at the latest for my uncles cat recently as it was female, she was small but he didn't want to leave it as he said they can go into heat from 5months.

Sigma Force

If they are healthy perhaps around the 4 to 6 months it all depends on their general health and if they are strong enough for the op. There are risks with any operation but neutering/spaying early is pretty common when it comes to cats and becoming more common in Ireland.
Some kittens have been known to become preg. very early so that's why some people spay/neuter asap.

Although I wouldn't allow the kittens outside until they are at least 6 months old anyway, they are still kittens don't forget and like toddlers so may get lost if they leave your garden and are vunerable because of their size.
Unless you garden is kitten/cat proof you shouldn't allow them outside anyway there's a very high risk of them wandering off at any age and getting hit by a car, attacked by a dog or bothering neighbours.

There are some simple ways to cat proof a garden esp. if it's already got walls or fencing around it, it involved putting netting up around the fence or wall at an angle so they can't jump up on the wall and over.