was just wondering about other views on this. my 16 weeks old boy is due to be neutered next week and i was speaking to my local cats protection branch who have told me that he is way too young to be neutered. basically i`m just wondering if maybe i should put it off for a few weeks???
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neutering
- Thread starter melon
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Some vets have started doing it at 4 months in the UK now, but some still prefer to wait 6 months like mine do.
Their saying as long as they weigh at least 2lb and their healthy they will neuter them earlier now, but as i mentioned it all depends on the vet, so have a word with them.
Their saying as long as they weigh at least 2lb and their healthy they will neuter them earlier now, but as i mentioned it all depends on the vet, so have a word with them.
Absolutely not. 16 weeks is a good age to get your kitten neutered at. Waiting until 6 months is sort of an old way of thinking. A lot of vets are beginning to spay/neuter as early as 8 weeks and 2lbs. The goal is to have your kitty neutered before he reaches sexual maturity, which can happen as early as 4 months.
This is the UK she's in so it depends on her vet because some still won't do them at 4 months. My boy Jack wasn't done until 6 months and i had no spraying from him.
I know they definitely won't do them as young as 8 weeks.
If the vet is willing to do it I don't see the issue at hand. Jack was done at about 16 weeks (not sure because we don't know exact age), he was 4 lbs. He's a healthy 15 month old cat. Shelters neuter kittens at 2lbs all the time here in the US
Leslie
Leslie
It's the same in the US.
But, it looks as though she's made the appointment for next week, so I'm assuming that the vet knows the age of the kitten.
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I have 4 foster kittens - 3 males/1 female. They were all fixed at 10 weeks. All went fine, other than the girl pulling out her stitches, which she would've done even if fixed at 6 months!
No, please do not wait. Some vets now will neuter/spay as early as 8 weeks old (shelter kittens). A lot will do it at 3-4 months old. Kittens as young as 4-5 months old can and do breed. This is in the US.
No reason to hold off in getting him done. The recovery time is a lot less in kittens.
You guys across the pond, need to ban together and work on your vets to get them done at 4 months old
No reason to hold off in getting him done. The recovery time is a lot less in kittens.
You guys across the pond, need to ban together and work on your vets to get them done at 4 months old
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #9
thanks for the advice everyone! i don`t think the vet has a problem doing it but i just wanted ot make sure it wasn`t too young after what the cats protection had told me, i`ll keep the appointment for next week then and hope all goes well for my baby
It's happening, just slowly that's allOriginally Posted by GoldenKitty45
You guys across the pond, need to ban together and work on your vets to get them done at 4 months old
If your vet will do it at 16 weeks of age, go for it. I don't think that is too young.
Perhaps you should point them to the cats protection website which states
http://www.cats.org.uk/catcare/faq_neutering.asp
I think you are very right Susan.Originally Posted by Rosiemac
It's happening, just slowly that's allIt would be great if you could all get together with your vets in the US against declawing as well, which to me is more important than the age limit for neutering, but we'll not start a debate because that ones like an old record
Someone has beat me to it, but I can't believe a CP person would say that when that is their current guidelines!!
And also, it isn't true that cats aren't neutered from 8 weeks old over here, I know of 3 rescues in my area that do it, sadly we aren't one of them, I wish we were - I met an 8wo that had been done 2 days previously and you couldn't tell from his behaviour, only that he was lying on his belly and showing off his bits.
And also, it isn't true that cats aren't neutered from 8 weeks old over here, I know of 3 rescues in my area that do it, sadly we aren't one of them, I wish we were - I met an 8wo that had been done 2 days previously and you couldn't tell from his behaviour, only that he was lying on his belly and showing off his bits.
That is the age that Persi was when I had him nuetered. I had researched the subject here on TCS and it was time for him to receive his final shots so I decided to get everything done with one trip. He was kept overnight and when I brought him home the next day he laid around the rest of the day but by the following day he was just as active as ever and there has never been any problems with that decision.
Al wasn't spayed until he was five months it wasn't till he was six months old that he was spayed as he got cat flu in the rescue centre and he couldn't have it done then. At six months he wasn't spraying or anything he also didn't go outside till we he was spayed. I agree that you should all 'ban' together to stop the torture of declawing, it is cruelty uknown to us here.Originally Posted by Rosiemac
It's happening, just slowly that's allIt would be great if you could all get together with your vets in the US against declawing as well, which to me is more important than the age limit for neutering, but we'll not start a debate because that ones like an old record
The RSPCA also now recommends neutering at 4 months old. I think this is in line with the recent changes to the Animal Welfare Act and the various codes of practice for different animals many of which are yet to be published, but I suspect that as both Cats Protection and the RSPCA now recommend 4 months that this will be the recommended age in the "cat code".
Hopefully we'll see more vets willing to neuter a bit younger.
Hopefully we'll see more vets willing to neuter a bit younger.
That would be very helpful Epona, if you could get more vets to at least spay/neuter at 4 months. I'm comfortable with 3-4 months. I feel 8 weeks is way too young to do them. Can understand the shelter's view on this, but still 8 week old kittens are still nursing
