Neutering information
As a rescue centre we cannot emphasise strongly enough that all cats must be neutered!
Reasons for neutering a male cat known as castrating:
It is totally an old wives tale that castration will change a male cat’s personality. Many people do not realise that when a male kitten reaches the age of 5/6 months he is capable of breeding with a female kitten that will then produce kittens even though she is still a kitten herself.
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HE is likely to stray over a large area and therefore run the risk of being run over.
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HE will mark his territory with a very pungent spray and may also do this indoors which is not ideal being very difficult to live with.
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HE may be more aggressive towards his owners.
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HE will be more likely to fight resulting in injury as well as possibly contracting FIV or FeLV.
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He will also run the risk of developing testicular cancer.
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HE will be responsible for unwanted kittens. There are always feral females in most residential areas and both mother cat and kittens will struggle to find food and shelter.
Reasons for neutering a female cat known as spaying:
It is totally an old wives tale that to allow a female cat to have kittens in turn makes that cat a more loving happy cat. Wrong! Many people do not realise that when a female kitten reaches the age of 5/6 months she is capable of breeding and producing kittens herself.
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SHE will “call” every 3 weeks over a period of 6 – 9 months attracting unneutered males who will in turn bring problems such as spraying and fighting.
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SHE will produce kittens and in one year can have up to three litters with an average litter of 4 - 6 kittens. There are not enough homes for kittens and cats with rescue centres being full to bursting.
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SHE may struggle to give birth which brings risks to both her and her kittens.
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SHE may contract diseases such as FIV or FeLV through bites.
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SHE could suffer from cancer of the ovaries/womb and mammary tumours later in life.
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SHE could also suffer from a potentially fatal infection of the womb called pyometra.
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FACT: If one un-neutered female cat and her mate produce 8 kittens in the first year and they and their off spring are left to continue breeding then in 5 years they will have produced 2048 unwanted felines! So, that is why cats must be neutered.