Why should I Spay/Neuter my cat?
You just adopted a cat or kitten and s/he will be an indoor cat on his own. Should you spay/neuter him/her? The answer is a resounding “YES”!
A female cat will go into heat every 2-3 weeks during the summer months as early as 4 months old. While in heat, your cat will howl and spray her urine on objects throughout the house. This spray will have a stronger odour than your typical urine.
She may even try to get out of the house to find a mate. Repeated heats without mating can cause health problems such as pyometra (an infection of the uterus), a common condition in unspayed females which can be life threatening. Pyometra progresses from irregular heats to depression, anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, and excessive urination.
If you spay your female cat, you’ll likely notice a positive personality change in your pet. You’ll see a much calmer, happier cat and a more even-tempered animal. It doesn’t mean that she won’t be as much fun and less playful.
In addition, your cat will have a lower incidence of mammary tumors. Early spaying reduces the risk of malignant breast and cervical cancer and eliminates the possibility of ovarian and uterine tumors. Estrogens released during a cat’s first heat are believed to contribute to future tumor growth, 90% of which are malignant.
In most male cats, regardless of their age when neutered, neutering reduces roaming, urine spraying, and fights with neighborhood cats. Neutering also eliminates the chances of his developing testicular cancer and greatly reduces his chances for developing prostate infection.
As with female cats after spaying, neutered cats’ hunting skills, playfulness, and general levels of activity, excitement, and vocalization do not typically change following neuter surgery. Generally, spayed and neutered pets live longer, happier lives.
Besides, if your cat every gets out of your house, s/he can contribute to the overpopulation of stray and feral cats. If you are still hesitating about spaying or neutering your cat, it’s important to be aware that animal shelters are terribly overburdened with surplus animals. In the U.S., between eight and twelve million cats and dogs are brought to shelters every year–one-quarter of them purebred–and four to six million healthy, adoptable animals are euthanized simply because there aren’t enough homes for them. Many homeless cats never make it to a shelter; they’re strays and ferals that spend their short lives on the streets fending for themselves. They often get into trash containers. They unintentionally frighten or anger people who don’t understand their situation and some of these people choose to poison them. Communities end up spending millions of taxpayer dollars to control unwanted animals.
If you decide to breed your cat and manage to find homes for one litter’s kittens, remember that for each kitten you place, a shelter cat has lost its chance to find a good home. In addition, in less than a year, each of your cat’s offspring may produce a few litters adding even more cats to the population.
In conclusion, spaying or neutering your cat will give her or him a longer, healthier life, as well as helping to control the pet overpopulation problem and allowing more homeless animals a chance to live. If you get your cat or kitten from a shelter, chances are that it is already spayed/neutered or they will arrange for free spaying/neutering when the time is right if it is a kitten under 6 months. Otherwise, check for low-cost clinics in your area usually through the local SPCA/Humane Society or a vet clinic.
