What Age Does A Kitten Have To Be Neutered
Want to know more about what kitten neutering involves.
What age does a kitten have to be neutered. Recovery for kittens is usually minimal your boy may not realize he s missing anything and he s home from surgery the same day. Early or pediatric spay neuter is done at six to eight weeks of age. Some experts suggest getting a kitten spayed or neutered when the cat is as young as two months old. It s called a pediatric alter and it s been safely done in the us for.
When to spay or neuter your cat there is debate among veterinarians about the time to spay neuter your cat says dr. There are three general options. Standard spay and neuter at five to six months. If you don t want to find yourself with extra cats and extra cost we recommend that your pet cat is neutered at four months of age or younger.
It is important that the procedure is done before the cat begins puberty preventing any unplanned pregnancies. Becky robinson the founder of alley cat allies cites research that kittens neutered prior to reaching 12 weeks of age have fewer complications from surgery than kittens older than 12 weeks. To avoid either issue you can have your little one neutered or spayed as early as 6 to 8 weeks old. A little more about how kittens grow.
That depends on a number of factors but generally speaking once the kitten has reached eight weeks of age or weighs no less than two pounds it should be neutered. Traditionally male cats were neutered between the ages of six to eight months old and it was not considered appropriate for them to be neutered before this time due to concerns that they were potentially too small or not fully developed. Some vets still recommend spaying at five or six months and it s quite safe to neuter older cats. That cuddly kitten can have kittens of her own at puberty.
It needn t be an early neuter. Others arguing that cats need more time to develop before removing their sex organs say that spaying and neutering should occur closer to when the cat is four months old. Males are ready to be neutered when they reach 2 pounds and both testicles have dropped and that generally means 8 weeks old. When little kitties reach puberty as early as 4 to 6 months of age they ll be able to reproduce and they ll possibly begin some unpleasant behaviors too.
You can safely have a male kitten neutered at eight weeks of age if your veterinarian determines the cat is sufficiently healthy. In order to prevent unwanted pregnancies it s recommended that cats are neutered at around four months old after they have completed their primary vaccinations. Cats become sexually mature from the age of around five months.