Neutering

In 2022 there were 11.1 million cats in the UK, and 89% of those were neutered. Whilst that is a good figure, it still leaves 1.2 million cats not neutered.

A un-neutered female can have three litters a year, starting when she is a little over 4 months old, and may have as many as 100 kittens in her lifetime. That’s a staggering amount, and why The Cat Welfare Group encourages all pet owners to neuter their cats to help prevent overpopulation and to protect the welfare of all cats.

Neutering a female

Neutering a female cat is known as spaying, and involves removing the uterus and ovaries. The operation is done under a quick general anaesthetic, and she will usually be home the same day. Spaying stops the female cat from coming into season once every three weeks, and stops her calling for a male during this time. 

Pregnancy itself puts a huge strain on the cats body, and constant breeding may lead to a variety of health problems. Pyometria (a potentially fatal womb infection) is more common in un-neutered female cats, as are mammary tumours. Birth is not guaranteed to be without complications either, and kittens may need additional care that many owners are not prepared for. Many people still believe that a cat should be allowed to have one litter of kittens, but this is unnecessary and of no benefit to the cat. There is also still the belief that she should be allowed to come into season before neutering. Again, this is not the case and is of no benefit to the cat.

Neutering a male

Neutering a male cat is known as castration, and involves removing the testes. It is a very quick operation, and as with females it is done under a general anaesthetic. He will usually make a quick recovery and be home the same day. Neutering a male cat is just as important as neutering a female due to the amount of kittens he could potentially sire. Un-neutered male cats will spray to mark their territory with very strong, pungent urine. This includes inside the house as well as outside! They will also fight more, and so are more at risk of contracting FIV (feline aids) or FeLV (feline infectious leukaemia) , both of which can be fatal. Fights may also lead to things like abscesses and traumatic injuries that will require veterinary treatment. Un-neutered male cats will also wander more in search of females, and may end up spending prolonged periods of time away from home. They are also much more prone to road traffic accidents due to this wandering.

Along with many veterinarians and welfare organisations, The Cat Welfare Group advise neutering male cats at 4 months of age and females at 6 months, before sexual maturity. This includes indoor only cats, and cats who are housed alone.