cat spay/ neuter opinions...

catcrazyperson

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hello all!


first of all, i have been off here for a whole 24 hours!
haha its like a habit i'm trying to kick lol.(and i'm not getting very far!)
i'm so proud of myself. and so overwhelmed trying to catch up!

ok, here comes my main question.

what is your opinion on spaying/neutering? i want to know what you all think of it. good/bad, pros/cons, are all your cats altered, why/or why not.

i am not by any means trying to start any kind of argument because i know everyone has a different opinion on it. i'm just curious!

thanks!
 

valanhb

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The opinion here is pretty much going to be about the same. This place is VERY pro-spay/neuter. It's even in the Rules:

2. Please make sure to spay and neuter your cat. Unless you are a professional breeder and your cat is part of a professional breeding program, please educate yourself to the importance of spaying and neutering by the time your cat is 4-6 months old. By spaying and neutering you enhance your cat's quality of life and improve his or her health. You are also proving your love for cats because in acting as a responsible pet owner you are minimizing the problem of cat overpopulation.
 

valanhb

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OK, so that was the "official" position, now I'll give my personal opinion.


Yes, they are all spayed and neutered. Why? For their health, especially the girls. Spaying eliminates the risk of ovarian cancer, significantly reduces the risk of mammary cancer, and eliminates the very real risk of pyometria which is an infection of the uterus that can be fatal. For males, the health benefits are eliminating the risk of testicular cancer, and reduces their desire to roam and protect their territory, which also reduces their risk of abcesses, as well as other injuries associated with roaming (like being hit by a car, running into a dog, etc.). Spaying/neutering also allows them to be happy and heathy indoors, without the urge to get out and find a mate. In addition, it saves the owner's sanity. A female cat in heat is enough to make anyone batty, and a male spraying everything in sight is unpleasant to say the least (I really don't know how breeder's do it and stay sane!).

And of course, there is also the social responsibility aspect of it. We have a massive pet overpopulation problem in the US, and well...everywhere in the world. I can't add to that overpopulation by not spaying/neutering. While I plan to keep my cats indoors at all times, accidents do happen - cats escape, and the rate of return is dismal if they enter the shelter system, or meet up with a feral colony. Being a feral cat advocate, I know that TNR (trap, neuter, return/release) is the only effective way of controlling and decreasing feral cat populations.
 

lionessrampant

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Not optional. I think every breeder and shelter should have every outgoing animal altered prior to adoption. I think vets need to start jumping on the Pediatric S/N bandwagon. I think that if municipalities need to, we should pay people to spay and neuter their pets, if that's what it'll take. I mean, several organizations (my shelter included) will spay and neuter for free all year round, and the city STILL had over 28,000 homeless pets put down last year.

And all of my cats are fixed. All of them came to me that way, thanks to a law in my city requiring all adopted animals to be altered prior to adoption (no ifs ands or buts...all of them, even the babies).
 

gayef

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Originally Posted by valanhb

... A female cat in heat is enough to make anyone batty, and a male spraying everything in sight is unpleasant to say the least (I really don't know how breeder's do it and stay sane!) ...
This would be assuming, of course, that breeders were sane to begin with. *wink*

Originally Posted by lionessrampant

... I think vets need to start jumping on the Pediatric S/N bandwagon ...
*sigh* So do I. How do we get that to happen?
 

gayef

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Originally Posted by catcrazyperson

what is your opinion on spaying/neutering? i want to know what you all think of it. good/bad, pros/cons, are all your cats altered, why/or why not.
For all cats not participating in a responsibly-managed breeding program, spay/neuter should be mandatory unless there is a medically sound reason to preclude it. It is a good thing on many levels, including overall continued good health and wellbeing of the cat, owner convenience, it is ethically responsible. The pros would be all of the above as well as the warm, fuzzy feeling of knowing you did the right things for ALL cats, not just the ones you care for presently. The cons would be that not enough vets practice pediatric spay/neuter or if they do, many charge higher than average prices for it.

Only 1 of my four cats is currently altered ... George was neutered back in October. However, as I have recently learned that personal health issues will make it necessary for me to stop breeding ... *great big sigh* ... Pearl and Lexus will be getting spayed next week barring anything unforeseen in their blood chemistry. Tonka has a prior stud service committment to fulfill before he can be neutered, but once that obligation has been met, (probably some time in May or early June if all goes well) he too will be sent out for his little Nip and Tuck.

Of course my cats were not spayed or neutered because I am a breeder. Having now been forced to stop breeding, I will be having the rest of my cats altered as soon as is humanly possible.
 

tavia'smom

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Originally Posted by valanhb

The opinion here is pretty much going to be about the same. This place is VERY pro-spay/neuter. It's even in the Rules:

2. Please make sure to spay and neuter your cat. Unless you are a professional breeder and your cat is part of a professional breeding program, please educate yourself to the importance of spaying and neutering by the time your cat is 4-6 months old. By spaying and neutering you enhance your cat's quality of life and improve his or her health. You are also proving your love for cats because in acting as a responsible pet owner you are minimizing the problem of cat overpopulation.
I couldn't have said it better. my baby girl is certainly spayed and so are my dogs.
 

starryeyedtiger

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I'll put it this way- ALL of my animals are spayed and neutered. Even the bunny rabbit
. I am very pro-spay/neuter.
. I foster kittens for the local shelters around the city as well- every one i foster winds up spayed/neutered before being placed into a responsible and appropriate home. Unless a person is a reputable, qualified, and responsible breeder- there is no need to have an entact animal in my opinion when there are soooooooo many euthanized on a daily basis around the world due to overpopulation. I believe that responsible animal owners should have their pets spayed/neutered.
 

kaylacat

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All of mine are spayed/neutered. I need to get the 3 outside (strays/feral) fixed soon. There are too many animals waiting to be loved and find their forever home in shelters already.
 

punkygirl0101

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All of my dogs, and all of my cats are spayed and neutered (with exception to my 10 year old male dachshund who has a heart murmor.). I am very pro spay/neuter. I think it should be mandatory for all cats unless you are a reputable breeder bettering the breed.. even then, there are enough of all cats that are homeless.


~Don't breed or buy, while shelter pets die~ ~Save a life...spay and neuter~
 

abymummy

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Originally Posted by valanhb

A female cat in heat is enough to make anyone batty, and a male spraying everything in sight is unpleasant to say the least (I really don't know how breeder's do it and stay sane!).
Originally Posted by gayef

This would be assuming, of course, that breeders were sane to begin with. *wink*
I'd really have to agree to that!

Of the 13 in my home, only 3 are unspeutered and 2 of the 3 babies have speutering appointments in 2 months!
 

luckygirl

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Brilliantly said Gaye & Heidi!!! I couldn't have said it nicer or better myself! You girls rock!


(also, both mine are done....1 spay, 1 neuter! Thank God too, Louie was starting to become aggressive at 4months old!)
 

epona

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My cat is neutered, my parrot isn't (they don't fix parrots, anaesthesia too risky, and they only mate with their bonded monogamous partner so unwanted chicks aren't a danger), my new kitten won't be until he's 'old enough' in the eyes of vets here in the UK - ie 6 months.

I can't imagine having an un-neutered tom indoors, the urine smell alone is a good enough reason to get them fixed!
 

momofmany

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Originally Posted by lionessrampant

I mean, several organizations (my shelter included) will spay and neuter for free all year round, and the city STILL had over 28,000 homeless pets put down last year.
I saw a statistic posted on a humane society website that 575 companion animals are killed every hour of every day. Do the math - that's close to 10 homeles animals per minute euthanized in our country alone. I can't confirm that, but even if close, that reason alone is justification for spay/neuter.
 
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