Alternative to surgical removal of testicles ?

[kuddlekitty56]

This might sound stupid, but sometimes if you leave your cat intact, they don't think they have time for you anymore. I have had MANY cats that I couldn't afford to neuter, and about half of those ran away and never came back, even with our close relationship. This is bad for you, your cat, and the surplus population of strays.

Also, since most cats don't get enough water and food they need anyway (totally not the humans' fault), he will tend to think of what he needs (to him this is reproduction). He will spend less time resting, eating, and drinking, and more time trying to get outside to the ladies.

I agree a bunch with the others that altering prevents disease, and is scientifically proven to expand the life expectancy of your cat. I'd say it is a very wise coice to have your cat altered.

 

[jane_vernon]

I can tell you right now that neutering your cat WILL NOT be harmful to his health!! (Unless you have a vet that is completely incompetant)

You and your cat will be much better off if you have it done as soon as possbile - The older the cat gets the more risk the anaesthetic will have.

The cat won't mind and will get over it so quickly it unbelievable.

 

[petnurse2265]

Cats and dogs are not hormone dependant like we are, and are much healthier without them.

 

[ahem]

Thank you to all for considering my question and for all suggestions. I hope to have approached this subject early.

To answer some of the questions ..

He is 7 moths old, tomorrow. He has not displayed any sexual behavior yet, no spraying, etc. His behavior is that of a baby cat. He does nothing yet to make me believe he is "possessed" by hormones. No marking, no aggressiveness, no roaming. No desire to run outside. So there is no immediate danger, nor inconvenience to him or me. This is why I thought now was a good time to explore this subject.

Not only he is stricly indoors in an apartment but he has no possibilty of escaping due to buidling hallways, guarded doors, etc. He watches the city behind guarded windows. He is tagged with the subcutaneous ID.

I appreciate the links to the studies of early neutering. I read this that early netering is just as beneficial as later neutering. But I am looking to alternatives to the procedure itself.

I am afraid that the great popularity of neutering (as it is done) is because it is a fast, effective, virtually risk free, inexpensive method to control cat overpopulation. I can see why it is much praised and promoted by vets and animal lovers. I do not dispute this. But I want to be sure if this is as well the best solution for a cat which is in a controlled environment and for which the sexuality is not yet an issue.

Hedgysforever was right, I do not want to alter his catness (not maleness) to have him changed to fit our world. Or at least not through an irreversible procedure that removes his testicles and interrupts his hormonal development.

What if in a few years we will look back to neutering as we now do to middle ages' witch hunting?

 

[hissy]

Give him time, he will start fitting into a mold you will not like, he will begin spraying and you will regret that you did not act sooner. I wish you the best- every tom that I come in contact with does not keep his gonads more than 24 hours after arriving here. I learned the hard way scrubbing cat urine off my walls- 2 feet and up off the ground and on the ceiling.

 

[semiferal]

We've already altered their "cat-ness" by domesticating them. By comparison, neutering is nothing.

Failing to neuter your cat is, frankly, like giving Playboy magazines to a teenage boy and telling him he can't look at anything but the articles. It would mean spending the rest of his life having his most significant natural instinct thwarted, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Or alternatively, he can go out and pursue his instinct and end up most likely beaten up, covered with abscesses, FIV positive, and quite possibly dead. Either way, why on earth would anyone subject another creature to that kind of life when there is such a simple alternative?

It's not like neutering is some newfangled thing. It's been done for decades and is well documented to have no negative effect on the cat whatsoever.

Cats are luckier than humans in that way. They don't derive a sense of "wholeness" or "masculinity" from their gonads. They get it from sources that really matter.

 

[yosemite]

The initial query of this thread has been addressed and answered by many. Since there is really nothing further to add I'm closing this thread.