Minimum Age for Neutering Cat?

OldNotWIse

I have a kitten who will be 18 weeks tomorrow, so just over four months. I know that the usual minimum age for neutering is 6 months, and we have generally waited until this point (and in some cases a little later until they are bigger) to have them done however I am concerned because we have kept this boy and his sister from a litter, and he has started to show some sexual behaviour. I think having him done is the better option because 1. he is much bigger (2.3kg) and it's generally not as big an operation for the males? 2. He is very big for his age whereas his sister was the runt, and only barley pulled through. She is thriving fine but she is about half his weight and far too small for an operation. In fact I think we will hold off having her done until she is around 8/9 months, to make sure she is able for the anaesthetic.

Are there vets who will neuter when the kitten achieves a certain weight or is the "6 month" thing set in stone? I worry what he might achieve in the next two months! Although his sister likely wont come into season early, I don't want to take any chances.

Thanks!

SillyMangoX

The majority of vets stick with the 6 month rule as it's generally whats taught. But there are vets out there who go by weight and do early neutering around 12 weeks, I'm not sure of the minimum weight for this, I'm sure someone else on here will know! Just for example the majority of reputable breeders would neuter their kittens going to pet homes at around 12 weeks, before being sold on to eliminate the chance of back yard breeding from them. So it def can be done!

OldNotWIse

SillyMangoX wrote: »

The majority of vets stick with the 6 month rule as it's generally whats taught. But there are vets out there who go by weight and do early neutering around 12 weeks, I'm not sure of the minimum weight for this, I'm sure someone else on here will know! Just for example the majority of reputable breeders would neuter their kittens going to pet homes at around 12 weeks, before being sold on to eliminate the chance of back yard breeding from them. So it def can be done!

Ok great thanks! I don't want to do it too soon if it puts him at risk, but as he is with his sister I am concerned. I might call the local vet and find out

Nody

Our vet would run with 2 kg or 5 months; which ever comes first.

Pumpkinseeds

We had our foster kitten done at 4 months as she went into heat at that point:eek: Thankfully our own cats were neutered so it wasn't an issue. Scary stuff.

OldNotWIse

Nody wrote: »

Our vet would run with 2 kg or 5 months; which ever comes first.

Just booked him in. They said their minimum is 5 months but as he is nearly that and over the 2kg mark, they can do him on Friday. Now all I have to do is worry about it until Friday evening when he is back in my arms

Themadhouse

We neuter at 12 weeks ( usually around 1.5kg )with no problems. The boys are back to normal that night, the girls take a day or two. It is so much easier on them at that age, the healing is a lot quicker we have found.

*spelling*

OldNotWIse

Themadhouse wrote: »

We neuter at 12 weeks ( usually around 1.5kg )with no problems. The boys are back to normal that night, the girls take a day or two. It is so much easier on them at that age, the healing is a lot quicker we have found.

*spelling*

That's good to know. Always worry about the anaesthetic risk I'm not sure about when we should get the girl done. She is very tiny still. She was the runt and it was touch and go for a while. Had to put her onto formula as she wasn't feeding. Poor little thing I was hoping to wait until she is bigger to have her done, but I hadn't considered that it will be a bigger op for her then. One thing I am sad about is I read that male cats tend to develope bigger heads if they are neutered later, and I don't want to stunt his growth. He is already huge and I have a feeling he will be like a big, fabulous lion when he is fully grown. He hit 200g in the first week if I remember correctly. I know it sounds silly, but he'd look good with a big head lol. Anyway, silly reason for not doing the responsible thing when you should, but was just a thought. Oh well :pac:

OldNotWIse

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

We had our foster kitten done at 4 months as she went into heat at that point:eek: Thankfully our own cats were neutered so it wasn't an issue. Scary stuff.

We have a cat who went into heat at around the same age. Mam called me in a panic thinking she'd been hit by a car because she was rolling around the kitchen screeching lol Imagine having to explain the facts of life to your own mother. :rolleyes:

Themadhouse

OldNotWIse wrote: »

That's good to know. Always worry about the anaesthetic risk I'm not sure about when we should get the girl done. She is very tiny still. She was the runt and it was touch and go for a while. Had to put her onto formula as she wasn't feeding. Poor little thing I was hoping to wait until she is bigger to have her done, but I hadn't considered that it will be a bigger op for her then. One thing I am sad about is I read that male cats tend to develope bigger heads if they are neutered later, and I don't want to stunt his growth. He is already huge and I have a feeling he will be like a big, fabulous lion when he is fully grown. He hit 200g in the first week if I remember correctly. I know it sounds silly, but he'd look good with a big head lol. Anyway, silly reason for not doing the responsible thing when you should, but was just a thought. Oh well :pac:

If his genetics determine a big head he will have a big head. All my boys have developed large round heads despite neutering at 12 weeks.

He is a decent size now but will slow down at about 7 months. My coon for example was 1kg at 1 month, 2 at 2 months, matched kg for month up to month 7. Then it took him 3 years to get to 10Kg. :-) he was neutered at 5 months. A bsh neutered at 12 weeks was 2.2 kg and at 1 was 5.5 and now at 2 is 6.5 with a huge muscular body and big round head like he is supposed to.

OldNotWIse

Just had a call from the vet to ask why we are getting him done so young. Now I am paranoid that he is too young. Should I hold off until he is five months? That's only another 2 weeks. If anything happened to him under anesthetic I'd never forgive myself. What if his little heart is too small and he doesn't come around after?

Rommie

OP, I think this year we're on rescue litter number 12, the smallest litter having been 4 and the largest being seven (which happened to us twice!), my vet has neutered every single one of them at approx 10 weeks of age, or once they are over 500g with absolutely no issues whatsoever. I actually have five of them still here from different litters and different ages, and absolutely no issues at all. So no, you are definitely not neutering him too young. Once his testicles are there, they can come off as my vet always says Many responsible breeders of purebred cats neutered/spay pet kittens before rehoming and they generally leave at 13/14 weeks, most rescues are doing the same now as kittens have been coming into heat at four months and getting pregnant. Not worth the risk when we have so many cats and kittens with no homes in Ireland

OldNotWIse

Is there a risk the female might come into season? She is so tiny, 1.6kg. I don't know what to do!

And would we know if she was in heat before there would be a danger of her getting pregnant?

Themadhouse

The female could come into heat silently.
Your kitten is not too young, we had 2 kittens neutered where only one testicle had dropped, both done at 12 weeks, slightly longer op. The risk of anesthetic is the same regardless of the age.
In reality what difference is 2 weeks. I think the vet is being ridiculous.

metaoblivia

He's not too young. My boy cat Gryphon was born in early April and we got him neutered in mid August of that same year, so he was 4.5 months old. Everything went just fine. The surgery for male cats is really very simple and straightforward.

I will admit that his head is small and for a while it looked just a little bit disproportionate to his body. But it eventually caught up, although I wouldn't say he has a big head now. My roommate has two male cats who were neutered later in life and I think you can see the difference. But I love Gryphon's head and face because he looks so kittenish. However, that could easily be due to genetics and not neutering at 4.5 months. I've attached a picture of him fully grown so you can see.

OldNotWIse

What a beauty TBH I am not too concerned about the size of the head. I was fine until the vet called me yesterday evening and asked why we were having him done so young and that their policy was 5 mts etc. I neurosed about it all night and this morning decided to put it off until march 6th. I feel guilty now, but I would have felt guilty sending him in too, he is still a baby He is 2.6 kg now, I think he will probably hit 3kg by then.