Why you should desex your cat

When it comes to desexing your cat, there are plenty of old wives' tales skulking around, but the benefits quickly put those to rest.

21 Mar 2016 By JimBob Comments

Before we begin, let’s debunk a few myths.

Firstly, desexing your cat will not change their personality.

Secondly, spaying or neutering is not expensive.

Thirdly, desexing does not make cats lethargic.

Many people get so wrapped up in these old wives' tales that they miss the fantastic benefits of getting their cat desexed. So here's where the truth's at.

It's a benefit to the community.

Both male and female cats have a tendency to roam the streets in search of a mate. Males are often prone to hormone-induced aggression if not desexed and causing multiple cat fights with neighbour’s pets and strays.

When desexed, this obsessive wandering and rivalry ceases. Instead of worrying about your cat eating from garbage bins or walking along busy roads, you can be sure you cat is safe at home or in your garden.

It can prevent an “accidental litter”

Cats as young as four months old can have a litter of kittens. It’s a fact that’s a bit shocking and one cat owners often forget when taking in a cat for their household. Having a litter that young is both unhealthy for the cat and its kittens.

The majority of the cats that end up in an animal shelter are usually from unplanned breeding. While you can hope that an “accidental litter” will find a good home it’s unfortunately not always the case. By desexing the cat, you will prevent this from happening.

It can positively affect a cat’s behaviour

After undergoing a desexing procedure, cats will lose the ability and the desire to mate. In fact desexed cats tend to be more affectionate towards their owners because their energies are not being spent hunting for a mate.

Some people believe that desexing can cause lethargy and laziness in cats, leading to unhealthy, fat cats. False. 100% inaccurate. Who comes up with this stuff? Playing with your pet and ensuring it has a healthy diet will keep your cat's weight normal. Desexing cannot be blamed for your cat's weight gain.

 

It benefits the cat’s health

Desexing can also improve the health of the animal and prevent the occurrence of potentially fatal diseases in the future.

Spaying female cats will prevent breast cancer (the third most common tumour in felines), infections in the uterus, feline immunodeficiency virus (which they could contract when mating), poor immune systems, and tumours in the ovaries and uterus.

Neutering male cats, on the other hand, can lower the risk of prostate cancer (and other problems of the prostate, including enlargement and infection) and feline immunodeficiency virus. Neutered male cats also exhibit less aggressive behaviour, such as being extremely territorial, spraying, and urine marking. Not pleasant to come home to.

21 Mar 2016 By JimBob Comments

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