Castration is unlikely to calm an overactive cat or decrease aggression toward people. Since the male brain is masculinized by the time the kitten is born, castration will reduce some, but not all of the sexually dimorphic male behaviors.
Another positive aspect of neutering your cat is that neutering can result in a calmer, and sometimes cleaner, home. Without the drive to mate, your cat may be quieter and not prone to cat calls and an incessant need to seek out a mate. The neutered cat no longer feels the need to seek out and serenade females.
Once spayed or neutered, keep in mind that it may take up to one month after the surgery for the cat to exhibit appropriate behavior. Also note that cats spayed or neutered after 1-2 years of age may continue aggressive behavior. In this case, read on for ideas on how best to address this problem.
Cats can often become more docile and affectionate after neutering. Even if they hadn't displayed the redirected aggression mentioned above, there may have been some stress that was preventing your tomcat from being the gentle soul he could be.
Spaying and neutering greatly reduces aggression in cats. More to the point, because of their impulse to be territorial it's often impossible to resolve aggression among cats if one or more cats is intact.
Generally, spaying or neutering your pet will not change its personality. If there are any effects on behaviour, they tend to be positive (reducing unwanted behaviour). Spaying or neutering will not change your pet's affection level or playfulness. For females, there is typically no change at all.
NEUTERING – THE NEGATIVE SIDE
Neutering will result in the sterilization of your cat. Neutering may cause weight gain. Some cats gain weight after neutering. Intact animals typically have a strong mating desire and can expend a lot of energy seeking a mate and reproducing.
Benefits of Neutering (males):
Less desire to roam, therefore less likely to be injured in fights or auto accidents. Risk of testicular cancer is eliminated, and decreases incidence of prostate disease. Reduces number of unwanted cats/kittens/dogs/puppies. Decreases aggressive behavior, including dog bites.
Spaying and castrating
Neutering (spaying or castrating) your cat can have some effect on adult body shape and size. The timing of neutering also has an influence. For example, male cats that are not neutered until after sexual maturity will usually be larger than those that are neutered at a younger age.
Remember, it is never too late to neuter a cat and, even if it has been left a few years, this does not mean the operation cannot be performed. Even in later life, neutering a cat still provides many benefits and is usually the best option.
No, your cat's personality will not change after spaying or neutering. If your cat is sweet and cuddly, they will remain that way. If they're rambunctious and adventurous, those traits will persist as well.
6. If your cat was neutered, it is important to use shredded newspaper, a dust free litter or a pellet litter in your cat's litter box for 1 week. A pellet litter can be found at the grocery or pet store. Please do not use sand as it can get into the incision site and can cause infection.
Most cats should wear their cone for 5-7 days after neutering to avoid licking the incision. Most scrotal incisions heal very quickly. If an abdominal incision was necessary to remove retained testicle(s), then the cone should remain on for 10-14 days or until your cat's recheck examination to assess healing.
Conclusions. The optimal age to spay/neuter a cat is before it reaches 5 months of age. For owned cats, the optimal age would be 4 to 5 months; for cats in shelters, the optimal age could be as early as 8 weeks.
What age can cats be neutered? Cats become sexually mature from the age of around five months. In order to prevent unwanted pregnancies, it's recommended that cats are neutered at around four months old, after they have completed their primary vaccinations.
Does Spaying and Neutering Promote Affection? Because most research on spaying and neutering cats has been focused on studying population control, there is currently no evidence to prove that male cats are more affectionate before or after neutering, Posluns says.
Cats that have been neutered are not distracted by the desire for a mate, and all the effort that requires in un-neutered cats, so they generally become more focused on their human companions. This concentration of their attention on their human friends usually means they lavish more affection on their humans.
Neutering male pets eliminates their risk of testicular cancer and eliminates the possibility of developing benign prostatic hyperplasia which can affect the ability to defecate. Another reason why altered cats live longer than their unaltered peers, is that their urge to roam is significantly decreased.
Adam Denish of Rhawnhurst Animal Hospital in Elkins Park, PA. There are three general options: Early or pediatric spay/neuter is done at six to eight weeks of age. Standard spay and neuter at five to six months. Finally, waiting until after the first heat, somewhere between eight to twelve months of age, he says.
Things You Should Know. Spot neutered male strays by looking for a notch missing from their ear, a tattoo on their ear, or a tattoo on their stomach. Unneutered male cats will still have their testicles. They will also have puffy cheeks and their urine will smell especially strong.
Neutering him will remove the strong smell from his discharge, also reduce the motivation for him wanting to spray. Some cats will continue to spray even after neutering, but this is more common in cats neutered later in life or very “bossy” cats.
If a male cat is neutered later in life, he'll still have testosterone in his system that can induce sexual activity. It may take weeks or several months for the testosterone to leave the body.
Do not allow your cat to lick or scratch the incision, as he may pull the sutures out and could introduce an infection into the incision. If the incision is not bandaged, inspect it at least twice daily.
For neuter procedures, it typically takes your cat 5 -7 days to recover. It's important to monitor for any of the signs above and contact your vet if you notice any lingering or worsening symptoms. While they are healing, do not let your cat run, jump, or play with other animals. It is important that they rest.