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What is the most appropriate age to neuter or spay a cat?

Does gender, way he behaves, time of year, anything else affect it? There is a related question, which I think should be linked, but doesn't exactly answer the question: How does early desexing affect my cats?

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I've been told by vets that the most appropriate age is "as soon as they're old enough for the operation" - usually in the order of 4 months for males, 4 - 6 for females.

What the vets I know have said is that the males need to have their testicles dropped before they can be neutered. The females need to be large enough that the vets can find their ovaries and uterus.

Most of the cats I've had have been neutered young: very few were older than 6 months.

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I researched and found out that neutering while they are too young may deprive them of important hormones and affect health.

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/06/26/early-neutering-effects.aspx

The UC Davis study was undertaken, according to the researchers, because “Given the importance of gonadal hormones in growth and development, this cultural contrast invites an analysis of the multiple organ systems that may be adversely affected by neutering.”

http://www.petmd.com/blogs/thedailyvet/jintile/2013/aug/what-causes-cancer-in-cats-and-dogs-30787

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  • This answer would be improved if you included the appropriate age according to your references. Answers that are dependent on links for details are discouraged.
    – James Jenkins
    Commented Aug 4, 2014 at 0:09
  • @JamesJenkins I will try to find the actual age. Do you think that the above mentioned web sites are not trustworthy?
    – SurvMach
    Commented Aug 4, 2014 at 2:46
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    The issue isnt that the sites arent trustworthy, but that they arent permanent (this is the internet and sites disappear/move) so putting the information in your answer ensures it'll be available in the future
    – Zaralynda
    Commented Aug 4, 2014 at 4:32
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    That study applied only to Golden Retrievers, not to cats or even other dogs. See pets.stackexchange.com/questions/6000/… for my other comments on this issue.
    – mhwombat
    Commented Aug 7, 2014 at 18:20
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    @SurvMach From the StackExchange guidance: "Always quote the most relevant part of an important link, in case the target site is unreachable or goes permanently offline." In this case the most relevant part of the link is the ages.
    – Zaralynda
    Commented Aug 8, 2014 at 20:35
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I have fixed cats at all different ages. There are some variables outside of age that can affect when or if fixing is the appropriate choice. There is no birth control alternative. Except to have same sex pets. Variables that could prevent a safe fix- bad heart- murmur, disease... Emaciation or unhealthy immune system. The anesthesia or even the mixing with other animals could harm an animal suffering malnutrition. Age is a variable - there is a such thing as too young or too old. Allergies to anesthesia or other medications. Pregnancy - some vets will provide abortions. But only to a certain stage of pregnancy. Respiratory issues that obstruct nasal passages or make breathing difficult in anyway. We put our animals on oxygen if we need. I work as a recovery technician. In a spay and neuter clinic. I am a vet tech student.

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  • not spaying or neutering your cat is a way larger problem than any of the medical problems mentioned in this answer.
    – trond hansen
    Commented Nov 9, 2018 at 14:24

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