There’s a lot of information out there about neutering and you might read a lot of conflicting information about it. The most important thing to remember is to have your pet’s wellbeing at the heart of any decisions you make and if you’re not sure about something, go and have a chat with your vet.
We’d always advise neutering your cat. It has a lot of health benefits and might help in other ways, too. We’ve also got lots more advice on neutering you can read.
How neutering can help your cat
Neutering has benefits for all cats. For female cats, it prevents them from getting certain illness, such as cancer of the ovaries or womb, which can cause a lot of problems for your cat. It will also prevent pyometra, which is a serious and potentially life-threatening womb infection.
For male cats, neutering will make them less likely to fight other cats. This means that they’re less likely to get feline AIDS (FIV) which is spread through cat bites. You can read more about FIV on our Hub.
Whether you have a male or female cat, neutering will make them less likely to roam quite so far from home (meaning they’re less likely to get lost). They’re also less likely to spray in the house – which is a huge plus for you!
How old should my cat be before neutering?
We’d recommend getting your cat neutered at around four months old, as this is around the age they can first get pregnant. It’s important to discuss this with your vet first, though, as they will be able to give you advice tailored to your cat.
Should I let my cat have a litter of kittens first?
Honestly? No. There are no proven health benefits to letting your cat have a litter of kittens before getting her neutered. It just means you’ll have a lot of kittens on your hands you need to find loving homes for! There are already so many cats and kittens in rehoming centres across the UK, so it’s best to get your cat neutered.
If you have more questions about neutering, it’s best to talk to your vet for advice. We also have a handy page of common neutering myths so you can get the facts about neutering.