Concerned about spaying

[Sorayachina]

Hi I haven’t had cats before so a first time cat long term cat owner. The other died at 5 months or so. This one o have now is about a year old. She has had one litter. She went into heat at 7months. So now I have 5 cats. 4 are her kittens. They are about 3 months old, but still attached to mom. Anyway, the problem is that they are in door outdoor cats. And I am concerned that is i spay then I will put them in danger of being really beat up. My cat likes to go outside and she brings home creatures for her kittens to hunt. I don’t like it, but it’s what cats do right. She loves doing that stuff. I hear that once spayed they don’t do that so much. Won’t she be depressed. Cats never go through a menopause which means those sex hormones are an integral part of their lifestyle. I just don’t want to remove something from her that will make her miss who she was. Of course I can’t have her having kittens every year. . So I guess are they ok to be outside after being spayed, even though there are cats that haven’t been spayed and neutered and are much more aggressive. Will they be able to hold their own on their own?

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. Spaying, in and of itself, is not likely to present a problem with an indoor/outdoor cat. It also makes them safer from illnesses that can happen without spaying. Many, many feral cats are spayed and/or neutered and continue to do what cats do outside, short of hormone related fighting and propagating.

Whether or not to continue to allow a cat to spend time outdoors on their own really depends on your location and how safe it is. Cats, intact or not, can be harmed by other cats/wildlife. There are other forms of entertainment for cats who live inside. If you choose to go that route, we can offer plenty of suggestions.
When To Spay Or Neuter A Cat? - TheCatSite
Spaying And Neutering - What To Ask Before The Surgery - TheCatSite
Spaying And Neutering - What To Look For After Surgery - TheCatSite

 

[IndyJones]

Not spaying will result in them getting beat up. Hormones cause fighting over teritory.

Things a spayed cat misses:

Getting beat up by other cats
Reproductive Cancers
"Oops" litters
Painful reproductive disorders


A female cat and her offspring can produce over 400,000 cats in there lifetime.

Could you build an outdoor enclosure to keep them safe from cars at least? Cars often run over cats that free range. And it isn't pretty if they even survive the accident.

 

[arr]

Your cat won’t be depressed if she is spayed. On the contrary, she will be more content. She will relax more and be more of a companion to you because she won’t be constantly distracted by looking for a mate/mating/raising kittens. Cats don’t look back and think about the life before or the life to come, they don’t contemplate their existence, they live in the moment. She won’t know she has been spayed.

We found a pregnant stray cat almost three years ago. We took her in and she had her kittens. As the kittens got older, she started to go into heat again. She was very friendly but always restless, pacing, meowing, she could never fully relax. We got her spayed, as well as her kittens, and I can assure you she is a happy and content cat. She loves being pet, loves playing with us as well as her children, has a good appetite, sleeps with us. We have cat trees, climbing poles and cat shelves on the walls, scratching posts, tunnels, boxes, bird feeders in windows, so she is entertained inside.

Incidentally, even though she was an outdoor cat and an excellent hunter, from the moment we took her in and she was spayed, she has never tried to go back outside, she has no interest. It’s as if she knows how good her and her children have it living in our house.

 

[skylerlark]

Hi I haven’t had cats before so a first time cat long term cat owner. The other died at 5 months or so. This one o have now is about a year old. She has had one litter. She went into heat at 7months. So now I have 5 cats. 4 are her kittens. They are about 3 months old, but still attached to mom. Anyway, the problem is that they are in door outdoor cats. And I am concerned that is i spay then I will put them in danger of being really beat up. My cat likes to go outside and she brings home creatures for her kittens to hunt. I don’t like it, but it’s what cats do right. She loves doing that stuff. I hear that once spayed they don’t do that so much. Won’t she be depressed. Cats never go through a menopause which means those sex hormones are an integral part of their lifestyle. I just don’t want to remove something from her that will make her miss who she was. Of course I can’t have her having kittens every year. . So I guess are they ok to be outside after being spayed, even though there are cats that haven’t been spayed and neutered and are much more aggressive. Will they be able to hold their own on their own?

If you saw the amount of abandoned kittens needing 'forever homes' in my country of residence you would get her spayed pronto! My male cat was spayed as soon as I took him in and has always hunted. Gahhhh.

 

[heatherwillard0614]

Spaying and neutering your cats has great benefits such as :

6 Benefits of Neutering or Spaying a Cat: Vet-Reviewed Facts | Hepper

Spaying or neutering your cat may seem cruel, but leaving your cat intact can cause more harm than good. Learn about the benefits of spaying or neutering your cat here...

www.hepper.com

10 Benefits of Spaying and Neutering Your Cat (Based on Science) | Pet Keen

If you've taken your kitty to the vet, they likely discussed getting your animal fixed. You might wonder why this surgery seems so pushed...

petkeen.com

Reasons to Spay or Neuter Your Cat


《Spaying or neutering your cat, as well as outdoor community and feral cats, prevents unwanted births, which helps reduce overpopulation in shelters. Millions of unwanted animals end up in shelters or on the streets each year. Only a lucky few are adopted; the rest are either euthanized or die from trauma, exposure, starvation or disease. By spaying or neutering your cat, you do your part to prevent this tragedy》

Spaying neutering has many health benefits including living a longer healthier life.

The links posted are just a few of so many.. please check them out I think you will find that the benefits are worth it.

 

[fionasmom]

As you said yourself, she can't have kittens every year and neither can the kittens. You will end up with a massive overpopulation problem and health issues related to overbreeding females.

 

[heatherwillard0614]

Figured I'd pop in to check how things are going. Did you decide to get everyone spayed and neutered?