To neuter or not to neuter, that is the question. Neutering or spaying is the only way to go for a responsible pet owner.

Neutering (males are castrated and females spayed) doesn't just stop unwanted kittens, it also prevents bad habits and behaviors that occur as a result of sexual hormones coursing through your kittens blood stream.

Kittens reach sexual maturity at between 4.5 to 7.5 months and so are ready and able to breed. It is therefore advisable to have your cat neutered at between 5 and 6 months and that prior to this you ensure that they stay indoors.

Un-neutered males typically become aggressive and will often get into fights. This behavior can give rise to a higher risk of cross infection in the form of blood and/or saliva and so your cat is at a higher risk of contracting infectious diseases. They also tend to have a strong desire to mark their territory and will spray indoors as well as out! Neutering usually (though not always) reduces the urge to exhibit these kinds of behaviors. The key though is timing - do it before the kitten has been exposed to temptation - what I mean by this is: don't let him out before hand or else you risk the release of hormones into his blood which trigger the behavior and it then becomes more likely that some of the behavior will continue after neutering.

This operation in males is quick and relatively straight forward and most cats recover very quickly. I recently neutered by kitten (at 6 months) and apart from a little drowsiness when I picked him up, he showed no ill effects. I kept him in for one week after the operation, though this was purely a personal preference as I felt that he would be at a disadvantage if I let him out as he wasn't firing on all cylinders (excuse the pun!). Most vets would advise that your cat can be let out as soon as the drowsiness wears off.

You should note however, that neutered males tend to put on weight and so their diets sometimes need to be adjusted accordingly.

Female cats which are unspayed can have up to three litters in a year. When you consider that each litter can produce up to six kittens, you begin to get an idea of the size of the problem. Females come into season or come on 'heat' with periods of sexual activity taking place every three weeks. Female cats in season are often very hungry, agitated and will usually be very vocal as they 'call' for a mate - the only thing that stops it is spaying.

The spaying operation is very straightforward, but usually the cat will have stitches and will need to be in doors for a few days afterwards.

Spayed cats tend to live longer than unspayed females. Spaying also reduces the risk of infections associated with the reproductive system.

Spayed females do tend to be larger and to put on weight more easily, but this can be controlled with diet.

If you have any concerns over the procedure or after affects you should contact your local veterinary for further information.

Learn more about this author, Laura Lytton.
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