The Importance of Neutering Male Cats



As an adoption centre we see over a thousand cats a year, many of which are unneutered. At cats protection we believe early neutering is an essential part of responsible cat ownership. Cats are very effective breeders and the number of kittens born can skyrocket in a matter of months!

 

Many of the unneutered ‘entire’ males we see at the centre have come into us as strays. It is very common for entire males to wander off in search of females; often they lose their way and arrive at the centre battle scarred, dirty and cold.

 

This is Rowland. Rowland arrived at the centre as an unneutered stray and had previously been living in a hedge at the bottom of a garden. Rowland was very dirty, had many cuts on his face (from fighting) and had an ear mite infestation.  Rowland’s coat is cleaning up nicely and he is currently available for adoption.

In most cases once over the age of two and sexually mature, entire males are easily identifiable.

·         They have big ‘cheeks’ from muscles designed to take the impact of a fight.

·         They have their very own ‘eau de tom’. A pungent odour caused by a high level of testosterone and feline proteins in the urine. This is to ward off other males and to let females know that there is an eligible stud in the area.

·         They are often unkempt as they will spend many hours patrolling their territory and very little time grooming.

A male cat should be neutered as soon as possible, before reaching sexual maturity to prevent any unwanted behaviours.

Rudolph had been straying for many months before he came into our care. Rudolph has the typical tom cheeks we see in entire males. He is currently reserved will be leaving us very soon. Now neutered he should enjoy a stress free life in a home!

 

Entire males will roam and often injure themselves leading to expensive vet bills.

·         Entire males are more likely to suffer from a road traffic accident as they will spend a large quantity of their time outside.

·          They are at a higher risk of contracting life threatening diseases such as FIV and FeLV from fighting and mating with other cats.

·         They are at a higher risk of developing tumours and cancers. Particularity testicular cancer.

·         They may experience higher levels of stress due to sexual frustrations which can lead to behavioural issues and stress related cystitis.

Neutering your cat has many health benefits and is also beneficial to your cat’s mental welfare

·         Neutered males are less likely to roam and make for more homely cats.

·         They are less likely to fight which greatly reduces the risk of them contracting serious and life threatening diseases.

·         They are less likely to spray. The smell of their urine should decrease immensely.

This is Garfield. Garfield came into care as a stray and had been living outside for some time. Garfields eyelashes had grown inwards causing him pain. It is not known how long he would have been suffering from prior to arriving at the centre. He has had surgery on his eyes to correct this and he is healing well. He is awaiting a second surgery and is not currently available for adoption.

 

The cost of neutering varies depending on location. The average cost for a male cat is usually around £30 - £60. Cats protection can offer financial assistance to owners on benefits or low income. For more details visit www.cats.org.uk/neutering or telephone 03000 12 12 12.