spaying

heya

i have 10 week old girl kittens

I have bin trying to find objective information online regarding spaying

as a family we very much take a natural holistic aproach to everything including our animals so i have bin looking at the pros and cons of to spay or not to spay and if so at what age etc

firstly our cats will be being house cats so no risk of pregnancy and I have bin trying to learn about cats cycles and the behaviour that goes with them etc

if we do decided to spay we think we would like to wait till they have reached adult hood not just sexeual maturity so that they have finished developing before subjecting them to cat menopause lol

a lot fo the information online is more tailoured to why its bad to have dogs done early (and thats certainly something ic an attest 2 with my old dogs before i know all i know now) so I am struggling to find honest information on both sides as i like to make sure i make an informed choice especially as its not something which can be undone.

I was hoping to gain some information from people who have chosen not to spay if so why how they are finding it

others who have delayed spaying and if so what age

and people in general who spay, i have heard all sorts of mixed things on all sides of it , I am not one for justt blindly beliving what people tell me so like to get as much information as i can on a subect  to make the most informed decision I can :-)

First off, please be aware that this is a strongly pro spay/neuter site.

I truly believe that spaying is best for your cats and for you. Cats aren't like dogs. Once they come into heat they cycle in and out of heat rapidly and continuously until they are mated. When in heat they become very difficult to live with. They'll be yowling to let all the boys know they're in the mood (and they're loud). It will be a real fight to keep them in because they'll be desperate to get out and mate. They may well start spraying all over the house - another pre mating ritual. Any toms in the neighbourhood will likely come in response to your girls' calls...and may well start marking the areas outside.

The rampant hormones really won't do your girls any favours - think constant pmt on a major scale. They won't be happy, and neither will you.

Regarding age - I tend to think that around 5 months is the best time. Cats reach sexually maturity at around 6 months, but it can be a little earlier or later - just like people. It really is best to spay before the first heat. The operation is a little easier if the cat isn't sexually mature.

Here are a couple of articles on the subject :-
http://www.thecatsite.com/a/when-to-spay-neuter-a-cat

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/spay-and-neuter-your-cats

From our Forum Rules: 

3. This is a pro-spay-and-neuter website. Please make sure to spay and neuter your cats. 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. If you take care of a feral colony, please make sure to do so responsibly by practicing TNR (Trap, Neuter, Release) protocols within the colony. Read More Here.

Click to expand...

To read the complete forum rules, go here:  http://www.thecatsite.com/t/239112/forum-rules

Believe you me, a house cat in heat will do anything to get out if in heat.  It's miserable for them and for the humans.  There is no good reason to not spay your cat.  There are many health problems associated with not spaying your cat, pyometra being the main one, which can be fatal if not treated in time.