JSPCA NEUTERING FACT SHEET

Neutering  

Keeping an animal is a big responsibility. It is important to be completely aware of the extra responsibilities that owning an animal will involve, such as obtaining veterinary treatment for the animal if it becomes sick or injured and arranging for it to be properly cared for while you are away from home.  Neutering is also another big responsibility that all cat, dog and rabbit owners must recognise, so as to ultimately help reduce the number of unwanted animals and pets.

Neutering is a routine surgical procedure, carried out under general anaesthesia, which involves removing the animal’s reproductive organs and hence its capability to breed.  Female animals are ‘spayed’ and male animals are ‘castrated’. 

Why you should neuter your pet:

• Neutering will ultimately help to reduce the numbers of unwanted animals in rescue centres.
• Neutering helps pets live longer, healthier lives
• Neutering can eliminate or reduce the incidence of a number of health problems that can be very difficult or expensive to treat.  Spaying eliminates the possibility of uterine or ovarian cancer and greatly reduces the incidence of breast cancer, particularly when your pet is spayed before her first oestrus cycle (season).  Neutering eliminates testicular cancer and decreases the incidence of prostate disease.
• Neutering decreases the likelihood for dogs and cats to roam the neighbourhood, run away, or get into fights with other animals and pets, hence decreasing the likelihood of receiving injuries through these misadventures.
• Neutering can make pets more affectionate companions.
• Un-neutered animals often show more behaviour and temperament problems in comparison to those that have been neutered.

Cats

Every year rescue organisations have to deal with many stray, feral (a cat that has reverted to a free-living state), or abandoned cats and kittens.  This problem could be reduced if more cat owners accepted their responsibilities and helped to prevent unwanted pregnancies by having their cats neutered as soon as possible.

Why should I have my cat neutered?

• Neutering helps to reduce the number of unwanted cats and kittens.
• It is strongly recommended that cats are neutered to help control the feral and stray cat population.
• Neutering cats makes them less likely to spray and mark territory. A cat’s behaviour is strongly controlled by its mating instinct and besides preventing unwanted pregnancies, neutering also helps to control other behaviours, such as roaming away from home, urine spraying and fighting. 
• Neutering makes pet cats safer, healthier and happier:  they become less likely to wander, protect their territory or get into fights with other cats.  This means they are less likely to get bitten and be infected with life-threatening disease such as Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) and Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV).  Most cats that are unfortunately killed on the roads are un-neutered males (toms).
• With the current large population of domestic cats, finding homes for kittens can often be difficult.

Female cats:

• It is important to neuter cats before the first season in order to achieve successful population control. 
• Generally most female cats will come into season for the first time in the spring following their birth.  However, timing of the first season depends on breed, time of year born and individual development.  The first season usually occurs around 6 months of age, but it can occur at an earlier age.  Queens (entire female cats) can have up to 3 litters in a year.

• ‘Calling’:  female cats in season will ‘call’ (cry loudly) regularly and incessantly (from about January approximately until the Autumn) if they do not get pregnant, in an attempt to attract a mate.  By the entire female attracting entire male cats into the area, problems of urine spraying, fighting and caterwauling may increase.  In addition to attracting undesired entire males to the area, female cats in heat can show nervous behaviours. 
• Health matters: female cats that are not neutered are more likely to suffer from ‘pyometra’ (infection of the womb) later in life.  Queens with infectious diseases may also pass these on to their kittens.  Pregnancy and birth are also not without risk to either the mother cat or her kittens.
• Wildlife concerns: a mother cat with kittens will hunt more effectively and if the mother cat and kittens are not receiving food from people, (for example, a feral queen) she will need to catch more wildlife, such as garden birds, to feed their kittens.  This can have obvious implications
• Welfare concerns: unwanted kittens may not be cared for and are at high risk from various serious infectious diseases, such as “cat ‘flu”.

Male cats:

• Un-neutered male cats tend to roam over a large territory, which is often in and around their home area.  They will mark this territory with a very pungent spray of urine and are much more likely to fight with other cats that come into their ‘territory’.
• Health matters: fighting males are much more likely to spread disease to other cats, such as FIV and FeLV.  Due to the fighting, they are also more likely to suffer from injuries such as abscesses.  Un-neutered male cats have strong territorial behaviours and are therefore much more likely to wander away from home.  However, because they wander over large areas they are also at greater risk of suffering from road traffic accidents, which can be fatal.
• Un-neutered male cats will wander from home.  They may also spray inside the home and may be aggressive to their owners.

When should my cat be neutered?

• Cats can start having litters around the age of 6 months.  There is no health reason for a cat to have a litter before it is neutered.  Therefore, male and female cats are often neutered at 5 - 6 months of age.  However, the actual timing of the operation should be discussed with your veterinary surgeon. 
• Depending on the origin of the cat, some welfare organisations neuter kittens as early as is practical and before the cat is sexually mature, as there is no evidence to show that neutering earlier than 6 months (and as early as 8 – 16 weeks) has developmental or behavioural consequences.  However, for owned cats, it is recommended that they are booked in to be neutered once the initial vaccination course has been completed and following guidance from your veterinary surgeon.

Dogs

Why should I have my dog neutered?

• Behaviour:
• Neutered dogs are less likely to roam, wander away from home and stray.  They are also less likely to mark their territory.
• Neutering can remove unwanted sexual behaviours, such as mounting, and can reduce aggressive tendencies and destructive behaviours.
• Neutered dogs can be calmer and more predictable, making them suitable family pets.
• Irresponsible breeding may contribute to the problem of dog bites and attacks.
• Health:
• Pregnancy and birth are also not without risk to either the bitch (female dog) or her puppies.
• Early neutering can reduce the risk of some cancers developing in male and female dogs and prevents the bitch from suffering from serious and potentially fatal womb infections (pyometras).
• Female dogs come into season on average twice a year.  Neutering female dogs obviously stops the dog coming into season and hence removes the inconvenience for the owner.  It is often in the bitch’s first season that they are ‘caught’ and mated inappropriately, as the owner sometimes has not realised that the dog was in season at all!

When should my dog be neutered?

• Female dogs should be spayed either before their first season or three months after the end of the first season to best prevent unwanted pregnancy, womb infections and some forms of cancers (mammary, uterine and ovarian) developing later on in life. 
• Some vets will neuter from approximately four months of age and others will prefer to wait until the bitch has had her first season and achieved sexual maturity.  Consult with your veterinary surgeon to discuss the most appropriate timing for the operation.
• There are no beneficial health reasons for a bitch to have one litter before she is spayed. 
• The best time to castrate dogs (males) is between six and eighteen months, although some vets will neuter as early as four months of age.  Ask your veterinary surgeon for their advice. 

Rabbits

Rabbits can reproduce faster than dogs or cats and are the third most disclaimed animal to shelters.  Therefore, it is also very important to consider neutering pet rabbits.  Neutering your rabbit will allow more than one rabbit to be kept together without them fighting or producing unwanted litters.  Neutered rabbits are less aggressive and territorial and are more easily litter-trained, which is helpful should you wish to keep your pet rabbit indoors as a house rabbit.  Neutering can also reduce other hormone driven behaviours of rabbits, such as lunging, mounting, spraying and boxing. 

Male rabbits (bucks):

• most bucks are territorial and will frequently spray urine and show aggressive behaviours.  Neutering can help to prevent these undesirable behaviours.
• Neutered males are less aggressive and, if carefully introduced, can live happily with a neutered female or even another neutered male rabbit.
• Male rabbits can be neutered as soon as the testicles descend (at ten to twelve weeks of age), but it is recommended to contact your veterinary surgery for advice on the actual timing of the operation and the general procedure.

Female rabbits (does):

• Most female rabbits become territorial and aggressive from sexual maturity (four to six months) onwards and they can often have repeated false pregnancies.  Neutering helps to prevent these problems.
• Neutered females are likely to live longer lives than their non-neutered sisters.  Up to 80% of un-neutered female rabbits develop uterine cancer by the age of five years.
• Female rabbits can be neutered from 4-6 months of age, but it is recommended to contact your veterinary surgery for advice on spaying rabbits and the actual timing of the operation. 

Common misconceptions regarding neutering:

1.  My dog/cat/rabbit will put on weight if he/she is neutered:

This is not necessarily true.  Providing the animal is fed appropriately and gets enough exercise, it will not put on weight. 

2. It is not ‘natural’ to neuter animals:

Neutering helps to prevent our pets from reproducing and hence perpetuating the problems associated with, and adding to, the number of unwanted animals and pets.  In addition to preventing some health problems from occurring, neutering also can help prevent frustration in our pets, which ultimately makes them happier and healthier.

3. It is better to let bitches have one litter before neutering:

Medical evidence shows that female dogs spayed before their first season are typically healthier, as they are less prone to developing some forms of cancer.  Check with your veterinary surgery regarding the most appropriate time for neutering. 

4. I want my dog to be protective:

Neutering does not affect a dog’s natural instinct to protect home and family.  A dog’s personality is formed more by genetics and the environment in which it has been reared, rather than by sex hormones.

5. My pet is a purebred/pedigree:

Unfortunately, many of the animals that arrive at animals’ shelters countrywide are pedigrees.  Regardless of the animal’s breeding, whether it is a mixed breed or a pedigree, neutering helps to reduce the numbers of unwanted animals and pets.

6. It is too expensive to have my pet neutered.

The cost of neutering depends on the sex, size and age of the pet, your individual veterinary surgery’s fees and a number of other variables.  But whatever the actual price, neutering is a one-time cost – a relatively small cost when compared to all the benefits.  It is a small price to pay for the health of your pet and the prevention of more unwanted animals.

JSPCA working to

“prevent cruelty, promote knowledge, provide for aged, sick, lost and unwanted animals.”

Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Inc.)

Founded 1868 – Incorporated 1936

89 St Saviour’s Road, St Helier, Jersey JE2 4GJ         

Tel: 01534 724331          Fax: 01534 871797

E-mail: info@jspca.org.je          Website: www.jspca.org.je

References and further reading:

-         The Humane Society of the United states (HSUS)

-         Cats Protection

-         Dogs Trust

-         The cat group –  www.thecatgroup.org.uk