BITCHES CAN BE NEUTERED AT 6 MONTHS OLD, OR ANY TIME AFTER THAT. THEY ARE NEVER TOO OLD
By domesticating cats and dogs, humans have already interfered. By breeding cats and dogs and caring for them, we have helped ensure their breeding success and longer life. If a female cat were to mate every time she came into season and all her kittens were to survive and breed, then there could be up to 21,000 extra cats in just 7 years. There is a cat overpopulation crisis…
WHY YOU SHOULD NEUTER YOUR FEMALE CAT?
If you let your cat have a litter and manage to find homes for her kittens, you will use up homes that a litter of kittens sitting in a rescue centre could have had.
Many female cats in season become lost when they are chased by numerous male cats. They often become disorientated and cannot find their way home. Invariably they become pregnant and have kittens on the streets.
This is how colonies of feral cats are formed. These cats struggle to survive, are hungry, often sick or injured.
So many un-neutered male cats carry the FIV virus and therefore female cats are at risk if they are bitten during mating. Feline sex can be very violent, particularly when several males are fighting over one female.
FIV and leukaemia virus can be passed to female cats under these circumstances.
A female can come into season and mate with an un-neutered male cat up to three times a year. She can give birth to a litter of up to six kittens each time. At six months old, the kittens will also begin to breed. Some may end up homeless and breed on the streets forming feral colonies in towns and cities.
Female cats should be neutered at 5-6 months, but can be neutered at any age. There is no benefit to your cat in letting her have a litter before she is spayed.
If your cat has already had kittens, she should be neutered promptly when her kittens are 7 weeks old or she will become pregnant again. Neutering her will not affect her milk supply.
It is important that female cats kept permanently indoors are also neutered. This is because they will come into season, which is very frustrating for them and for you. These cats are at risk from various health problems, including cystic ovaries and pyometra – a potentially fatal infection of the uterus. Undiagnosed, the uterus fills with pus, and then bursts causing peritonitis and death.
WHAT IS FIV?
Although most people have heard of FIV, a virus that can progressively weaken a cat’s immune system, there are many misconceptions about it. This has regrettably led to mass euthanasia of healthy FIV positive cats, or a miserable quality of life due to advice given to keep cats isolated in virtual quarantine conditions. TAG’s policy on FIV is that routine euthanasia of healthy FIV positive cats is wrong and unnecessary.
Dogs, humans and other animals CANNOT Catch FIV
FIV can only be transmitted between members of the cat family and is spread mostly via deep, penetrating bites. FIV positive cats may be healthy for many years before developing symptoms of full blown FIV. Cats that have developed full blown FIV rather than simply carrying the virus can be given supportive treatment for the effects of their reduced immune response.
They can often be maintained for a long time, but once clinically ill, may eventually no longer respond to treatment and may need to be put to sleep on humane grounds. The highest risk group of cats are un-neutered males, as their aggressive territorial behaviour leads to many battles with other un-neutered males, resulting in deep infected wounds. It follows naturally, that the best way to reduce the spread of FIV in the cat population is to neuter as many males as possible. It is also important from a welfare point to neuter cats to prevent the appalling injuries sustained during fights.
It has been observed over a period of 12 years at a London based rescue centre that many long-term foster homes, staff and volunteers, have a happy mix of FIV positive and FIV negative cats. Regular blood tests over the last twelve years have shown that they have not infected FIV negative cats, even though they spend much time grooming each other and sharing food bowls and litter trays.
TO PREVENT INFECTION BY FIV
Fighting un-neutered male cats are at most risk of contracting FIV. The virus is transmitted between cats through deep bites incurred during fights. FIV is widespread amongst un-neutered male cats and can eventually develop into full blown disease. There is no vaccine against FIV. Neutered cats are much less aggressive to each other, thus by neutering your male cat, he is much less likely to be involved in fights and therefore less likely to contract FIV.
NB TO PREVENT SPRAYING
Un-neutered cats spray very strong foul-smelling urine to mark their territory. They may spray in and around your home or your neighbours’ homes. Neutering prevents this.
TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOUR
There is an unnaturally high concentration of cats in UK towns and cities. An un-neutered male cat will make himself very unpopular spraying and fighting with other cats in the area. A large proportion of reports to animal charities are from people annoyed by un-neutered male cats attacking their cats and spraying inside their homes.
Rescue centres are full of battered, stray, un-neutered male cats, some once loved pets that have roamed too far and become stray. Once neutered they soon make lovely pets again but the numbers needing homes are so great that many are doomed to join the unwanted cats that are DESTROYED each day in the UK. If only they had been neutered they probably wouldn’t have become strays in the first place. Male cats should be neutered at six months old but can be neutered at any age. They are never too old.
DOGS – Be a part of the solution not the problem
But I’ve paid a lot of money for my bitch. I want her to mate so that I can sell the puppies.
Should you neuter your male dog?
Breeding from a bitch is more expensive and far more time consuming than you could possibly imagine.
Bitches can give birth up to 10 or more puppies in each litter.
Whilst pregnant, your bitch will need 2 or 3 times her usual amount of food
When the puppies are being weaned, you will have to feed them 4 times per day. You will also have to toilet train them and clear up after them. Can you afford to replace your sofa and carpet?
If you let your bitch have a litter, and manage to home her puppies, you use homes that the thousands of dugs and puppies in rescue centres could have had. THEY MAY END UP BEING DESTROYED.
Some people think that routine castration of male dogs is unnecessary. Here are some reasons why we think neutering your dog is the best option.
Your male dog can smell a bitch in heat from a very long distance away and some dogs will do anything to reach her – including scaling tall fences or digging underneath. These dogs are liable to become lost, or be involved in road accidents.
Often male dogs become very frustrated. They may try to mount cushions, or even peoples’ legs. Some become very snappy. Others become very dominant and constantly attack other dogs. Un-neutered male dogs may also scent mark by urinating about the house.
The risk of testicular cancer is completely removed by neutering. Many older male dogs develop prostrate enlargement, leading to urinary problems, constipation and the possibility of prostatic cancer. Because prostatic cancer can be hormone dependant, these dogs have to be castrated when they are getting on in years and therefore present a greater anaesthetic risk.
Neutering is best done when your dog is about six months old, before he has learned any and habits.
PLEASE BE A RESPONSIBLE OWNER, ARRANGE FOR YOUR PET TO BE NEUTERED
You should consider the medical reason for having your bitch neutered;
An un-neutered bitch is at increased risk of developing mammary tumours.
Neutering your bitch eliminates the distressing condition known as phantom pregnancy.
An un-neutered bitch is at risk from developing a life-threatening and not uncommon condition called prometra – a potentially fatal infection of the uterus and which fills with pus. Undiagnosed, the uterus can burst causing peritonitis and death.
TO BE RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERS
FIV cannot be transmitted to humans, dogs or pets other than cats.(Feline Immunodeficiency Virus – the feline equivalent of HIV)strongly disagrees with the policy of some charities and veterinary surgeons who automatically euthanase or recommend euthanasia for healthy cats when an FIV positive result is obtained. We welcome the increasing trend amongst vets who are realising that healthy FIV positive cats enjoy a good quality of life.