Although the natural order of things is for species to reproduce, it has become clear that some companion animals have reproduced beyond the capacity for people, as a collective, to care for them. Humans socialized cats hundreds of years ago, and to this day, people have different views about how they should live. However, with the advent of veterinary medicine and surgical techniques, former, inhumane methods of population control have been abandoned in favour of spay and neuter. Rather than killing offspring, we choose to prevent unwanted litters and save the animals, and people, anguish and hardship. The best age to have them spayed or neutered is four months. Let’s see why.

A single, female cat can produce one to eight kittens per litter, two to five times a year. This means that one cat, worst case scenario, will produce 40 kittens. Using averages, 20 kittens may be more realistic. However, each litter is, on average, 50 per cent female and those kittens will go on to produce as many kittens of their own, some within four months of being born, and so will their female kittens. One can see how cats can get out of control very quickly.

To end the reproduction cycle, we rely on sterilization. The old standard of sterilizing at six months of age doesn’t take into account kittens who get pregnant before six months. Shelters and rescues have had plenty of five-month-old kittens with their own kittens. Fix at Four (or Fix by Five) has become more mainstream, and is supported by organizations all over the world.

For females, veterinarians choose either ovariectomy (OVE ), where only the ovaries are removed, or the more common, ovariohysterectomy (OVH) where both ovaries and the uterus are removed. Recently, OVE, a standard approach to sterilization in some European countries, has become a more accepted procedure, among Canadian veterinarians. Veterinarians choose either procedure based on their experience with it, and the needs of the individual cat.

Neuter (orchiectomy), is the same in most countries. It is the removal of the testicles, through two tiny incisions in the scrotum, and the standard procedure in Canada.

Today, these procedures are extremely safe, and thanks to advances in pain-control for animals, they receive pain medication during, and often, after surgery while they are recuperating at home. Each procedure is, usually, under 30 minutes. There are circumstances where it may take longer, but those are rare.

WLCA advocates spaying/neutering cats at four months of age. The reason we recommend this age is because it is before the age where they can reproduce. Cats can be sterilized at eight weeks or older, so long as they weigh enough and are healthy. But getting them done early offers the most benefit. Preventing litters of kittens is critical for rescues and shelters. There are not enough people to care for abandoned cats who keep multiplying. As it stands, non-profit animal organizations are bleeding money trying to keep up with demand. We either need more organizations, more space and more money, or we need to stem the tide of incoming. The easiest, cheapest route is spaying and neutering owned pets, and community cats. But in addition to the obvious reasons for sterilization, there are other health benefits.