Would I have spraying issue?

The kitten is now over 3 months old, and I was going to take him for his second shot. I really do not want to get him neutered if I don't have to. Would I have a spraying problem even though he's the only cat in the apartment (for the time being anyway)?

Thanks,
Paul

Most likely, you probably would. I have a friend who had an unneutered male cat and he sprayed all over, even though he was the only cat in the house. Their urine also smells stronger as well, just in the litterbox, even if he's not actively spraying.

He stayed at my house for just three days, and by the third day the smell of spray was just overwhelming.

Plus, there's the caterwauling and trying to escape to mate, not to mention you are putting your little friend at risk for testicular cancer.

I really suggest you get him neutered - the two of you will be much happier if you do.

Yes, he would likely spray. He also would yowl, pace, try to escape and probably be more aggressive than a neutered male.

Plus leaving a cat intact leads to all sorts of cancers which are no fun at all to put the cat through when it can be easily avoided.

Just out of curiosity, can I ask why you really don't want to do it? The cat will have no idea what happened or what he is missing out on.

Cuz I'm a guy and I wouldn't want anyone doing it to me.
How is it possible that he would have no idea what's gone? lol

Cats don't think like we do. Female cats don't "miss" being a mom and male cats don't "miss" being dads or mating or any of that. For them, mating is purely instinctive. Male cats will fight each other viciously in order to mate a female, and the females will run away from a home they love in order to get mated, simply because their instincts demand that they do so.

My boys are much more laid back now as neutered males than they would have been had they remained intact. They are perfectly happy, very content guys.

Comparing a cat to a human is very unequal.

I have no doubt men would "miss" something. Cats don't know what's there.

They just "do" what they do because they have a need to survive. It's instinctive, they've been doing it for ever. That we can see by the number of cats euthanized every single day because there are unaltered cats out there.

I think he'd spray, be obnoxious, if he got out(and he will get out when he smells a female in heat) he could get hit by a car, in a tomcat fight, or who knows what else.

Talk to your vet about the benefits of neutering.

Basically because they mate by instinct, not pleasure. Which completely separates them from humans in comparison.

Thanks for the information friends
I just called the vet and she said they don't neuter unless the kitten is at least 5 months old. Is this regular? What if he starts spraying before 5 months?

Call another vet. The more modern vets will neuter once the kitten has reached 2 lbs.

You remind me of my BIL - he didn't want to neuter their dog because of the same reasons as you stated. Humans and animals are 2 very different species when it comes to s-e-x.

I would call around to other vets to see if anyone would neuter younger. No vet here will do it before 5-6 months, preferably 6 months.

well, I'm a guy and I wouldnt be kept inside with a permanent urge to mate I didnt even think twice before I got Sal fixed because he will be much happier this way. And, you don't want your buddy to go around and impregnate all the ladies in the hood right? I'd hope you're the kind of guy that owns up to his responsibility and if the buddy is spreading the love, you dont want to be responsible for tens of kittens of homeless kittens...

My vet was a bit like this, he was hesitant but thankfully Ragdolls are big (at 5 months he was already almost 6 lbs). Maybe you can point him to some litterature: http://www.cfa.org/articles/health/e...ay-neuter.html

Good luck with the little guy and you're making the best decision for him!

Let us know what happens It really is a loving thing to get them neutered/spayed. Just don't fall for declawing options some vets offer like a side of fries with a burger.

Neutering for male cats is easy. They behave as though nothing happened. Much different for a male human

Originally Posted by Yosemite

Call another vet. The more modern vets will neuter once the kitten has reached 2 lbs.

You remind me of my BIL - he didn't want to neuter their dog because of the same reasons as you stated. Humans and animals are 2 very different species when it comes to s-e-x.

Click to expand...

The data on juvenile spay/neuter demonstrates there is a higher incidence of complications and a higher mortality rate when procedures are done early. Risks are still quite low, but the best time, from a medical standpoint, is around 5 months. As such, juvenile sterilization is no longer recommended as a general practice and is now typically only considered appropriate in rescue/shelter situations where there is a pressing need to ensure it gets done. Around 5 months is the widely held standard. Cats hit sexual maturity as early as 6 months so this is still safely ahead of that point.

As for what the animal thinks, the human concept of sexuality is rather unique and is essentially non-existant in the rest of the animal world. Only chimpanzees and some dolphins have been found to demonstrate some degree of social sexuality. Dogs and cats do not define themselves in this way and have no concept of "missing something" when this procedure is done.

My Daphne went into heat at 4 1/2 months, much sooner than I thought she would. I suppose cats grow at different rates. I certainly wasn't ready for it!

Originally Posted by CharmsDad

The data on juvenile spay/neuter demonstrates there is a higher incidence of complications and a higher mortality rate when procedures are done early. Risks are still quite low, but the best time, from a medical standpoint, is around 5 months. As such, juvenile sterilization is no longer recommended as a general practice and is now typically only considered appropriate in rescue/shelter situations where there is a pressing need to ensure it gets done. Around 5 months is the widely held standard. Cats hit sexual maturity as early as 6 months so this is still safely ahead of that point.

Click to expand...

I don't know any vets around here that make you wait that long though. I have had females go into heat at 4.5 months. I have always done it when the cat reaches 2-4 lbs and never any later unless the cat came to me later. I have never seen or heard of any problems from that. But I have heard of numerous of cats who had their uterus explode with pyometra because the owner didn't believe in spaying them

Originally Posted by Jen

I don't know any vets around here that make you wait that long though. I have had females go into heat at 4.5 months. I have always done it when the cat reaches 2-4 lbs and never any later unless the cat came to me later. I have never seen or heard of any problems from that. But I have heard of numerous of cats who had their uterus explode with pyometra because the owner didn't believe in spaying them

Click to expand...

The detailed data was reported in the JAVMA (Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association) and is their recommendation for proper guidelines. Respondents agreed with and supported the recommendations.

The area low cost spay/neuter programs have adopted these guidelines and limit their juvenile surgeries to only those that meet the new suggested criteria.

Originally Posted by CharmsDad

The data on juvenile spay/neuter demonstrates there is a higher incidence of complications and a higher mortality rate when procedures are done early. Risks are still quite low, but the best time, from a medical standpoint, is around 5 months. As such, juvenile sterilization is no longer recommended as a general practice and is now typically only considered appropriate in rescue/shelter situations where there is a pressing need to ensure it gets done. Around 5 months is the widely held standard. Cats hit sexual maturity as early as 6 months so this is still safely ahead of that point.

Click to expand...

Can you give us some details of the study/studies you are referring to? All the studies I've read about indicate the opposite. I'd be interested in reading any more recent studies that show juvenile neutering is riskier than doing it at 5/6 months.

Cats can hid sexual maturity earlier than 6 months though. I've known males become sexually active younger than that and females coming into heat as young as 4 months. So waiting until 6 months may be too late in some cases.

Just a bit more info:

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association:
http://www.avma.org/communications/b...r_brochure.asp

A dog or cat can be surgically altered at almost any age. Your veterinarian can advise you on the most appropriate time for your particular pet based upon its breed, age and physical condition.

The AVMA supports public policy and education to promote spay/neuter procedures, including early-age procedures, alongside programs that teach responsible pet ownership.


I'd also look at the CFA: http://www.cfa.org/articles/health/early-neuter.html

Large scale studies seem to indicate that there are no differences in physiology between cat fixed at 7 weeks or 7 months.

Originally Posted by urbantigers

Can you give us some details of the study/studies you are referring to? All the studies I've read about indicate the opposite. I'd be interested in reading any more recent studies that show juvenile neutering is riskier than doing it at 5/6 months.

Cats can hid sexual maturity earlier than 6 months though. I've known males become sexually active younger than that and females coming into heat as young as 4 months. So waiting until 6 months may be too late in some cases.

Click to expand...

My vet made me wait to neuter my cats until both my cats turned six months. I had no problems with either one of them.