Cat Behavior Impact of Spay/Neuter

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Spay/Neuter Can Prevent or Eliminate Many Unwanted Behavior Issues.

One way that a cat owner can have an impact on their cat’s behavior is getting them spayed or neutered. This process sterilizes the cat and eliminates their ability to reproduce. The procedure is very common and usually goes very smoothly. You drop them off at the vet in the morning and then pick them back up later that day.

Some people think getting their cat fixed is cruel or somehow makes the cat sad or angry. The results of spay/neuter are the exact opposite. A cat that is “intact” will be hormone driven and their behavior can be greatly influenced by their natural driven needs. This scenario can manifest in a number of ways such as litterbox issues, aggression towards other pets, aggression towards humans, especially strangers and visitors, and just all around mischief. Cats are more likely to want to venture outside and also wander farther away if they get outside. Getting your cat fixed will solve the majority of these issues while creating a calmer more relaxed kitty.

Kittens are so adorable, cute, and fun. Unfortunately, there are way too many new kittens being born and not enough homes for them all. This is another HUGE benefit to getting your cats fixed. Each year approximately 860,000 cats are euthanized. It’s our responsibility to try and shrink this number as much as possible.

Another benefit to spay/neuter is minimizing some health risks.

Getting your cat fixed can help prevent certain types of cancers. Cancers that involve the reproductive organs are no longer a concern. This also helps prevent uterine infections and breast tumors for females. Males are less likely to have certain prostate issues and testicular cancer with neutering. Spay/neuter earlier in life translates into more benefits than waiting later. Although, there are still benefits regardless of age. The one predominant side affect of getting your cat fixed is that they tend to gain weight more easily. This is rectified with proper food quality and quantity and of course more exercise which also has a number of helpful impacts on behavior too.

Many veterinarians offer good prices for spay/neuter services so shop around. There are also special low cost clinics that specialize in spay/neuter services. They would be even less expensive and can be just as good quality as traditional type offices. There are so many options out there to help curtail the number of strays in local communities. You just need to do a little searching for the right one that works best for you.