How old should my kittens be before i get them altered?

Sophie123 · 07-15-2011, 05:28 AM

I have two kittens, brother & sister, they are 9 weeks old today.

I was just wondering what age is best to have them altered to avoid them having an accident.

I have read contradicing websites, some saying do it early, other saying wait until they are 6 months...just a tad confusing!!

**Xanti** · 07-15-2011, 06:00 AM

Here in the u.k vets don't do it until 5/6 months at the earliest.

KittieLover · 07-15-2011, 06:34 AM

Yes, 5 to 6 months old is when they do it in the UK.

def kitty · 07-15-2011, 09:02 AM

To my knowledge cats don't go into heat before they're 4 months old, but it can vary, for some it will happen at 5 or 6 months or even later. It is important to have the girl spayed before she goes into heat, though, not just to prevent accidental mating but also because it greatly reduces her risk of getting mammary tumour when she's older.

my4kitties · 07-15-2011, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by def kitty

To my knowledge cats don't go into heat before they're 4 months old...

When I brought Li'l Smokie in for her spay, the vet told me she was 7 weeks pregnant. She had just turned 6 months old about a week before her appointment. If you do the math, she had to have been about 4 months old when she went into heat.

BotanyBlack · 07-15-2011, 12:39 PM

I have seen cats pregnant at 4 months.. so yes get it done before then. I have 3 fosters and if they are at 2.5 pounds next week they will all get spayed. but they are pushing close to 14 weeks. here in the US most vets use the 2/2 method (2 months/2 pounds) because they do not want to adopt kittens out unaltered.

littlesushi · 07-15-2011, 01:19 PM

I just had my kittens spayed and neutered, they were 20 and 17 weeks of age respectively. I think age is a great debate, but my breeder suggested 17 weeks. Her reasoning is they heal faster and lessens the chances of spraying and going into heat. Depending on the breed, it is possible for kitties to be sexually mature at 4-5 months.

def kitty · 07-15-2011, 01:48 PM

@ BotanyBlack, so these kittens went into heat as early 3 months of age? Maybe their age just wasn't estimated properly?

Sophie123 · 07-15-2011, 03:22 PM

I think I'm gonna go into my vets tomorrow and ask them what they advise.
Conflicting advise still!

def kitty · 07-15-2011, 07:20 PM

Your vet won't be able to predict when she'll go into heat, it is true that for majority of kittens that age is 5-6 months or later but it can happen at 4 months as well. If you're wondering about the safety of the procedure, kittens as young as 8 weeks can safely be spayed and neutered if the vet is trained to perform surgery on young kittens. Unfortunately, too many vets simply don't know how to do it. And I have spoken to a vet who is obviously not that good at it and prefers to spay cats after they've had a litter of kittens - because their uterus is bigger and easier to find and remove. Fortunately these old school vets are dying out, and hopefully more and more vets will acquire the skill to spay and neuter 2-3 month old kittens in the future.

07-15-2011, 05:28 AM	#1 (permalink)
Sophie123 Cat Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Shropshire, UK Posts: 118	How old should my kittens be before i get them altered? I have two kittens, brother & sister, they are 9 weeks old today. I was just wondering what age is best to have them altered to avoid them having an accident. I have read contradicing websites, some saying do it early, other saying wait until they are 6 months...just a tad confusing!!

07-15-2011, 06:34 AM	#3 (permalink)
KittieLover Senior Cat Join Date: May 2011 Location: Australia Posts: 831	Yes, 5 to 6 months old is when they do it in the UK. __________________ Sarah, Owned by Black Maine Coon Siamese "Good cat owners aren't born, they are made."

07-15-2011, 06:00 AM	#2 (permalink)
Xanti Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Taunton, Somerset Posts: 2,386	Here in the u.k vets don't do it until 5/6 months at the earliest.

07-15-2011, 09:02 AM	#4 (permalink)
def kitty Cat Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 114	To my knowledge cats don't go into heat before they're 4 months old, but it can vary, for some it will happen at 5 or 6 months or even later. It is important to have the girl spayed before she goes into heat, though, not just to prevent accidental mating but also because it greatly reduces her risk of getting mammary tumour when she's older.

07-15-2011, 12:39 PM	#6 (permalink)
BotanyBlack Cool Cat Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Ky. Posts: 1,430	I have seen cats pregnant at 4 months.. so yes get it done before then. I have 3 fosters and if they are at 2.5 pounds next week they will all get spayed. but they are pushing close to 14 weeks. here in the US most vets use the 2/2 method (2 months/2 pounds) because they do not want to adopt kittens out unaltered.

07-15-2011, 01:19 PM	#7 (permalink)
littlesushi Tom Cat Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 518	I just had my kittens spayed and neutered, they were 20 and 17 weeks of age respectively. I think age is a great debate, but my breeder suggested 17 weeks. Her reasoning is they heal faster and lessens the chances of spraying and going into heat. Depending on the breed, it is possible for kitties to be sexually mature at 4-5 months.

07-15-2011, 01:48 PM	#8 (permalink)
def kitty Cat Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 114	@ BotanyBlack, so these kittens went into heat as early 3 months of age? Maybe their age just wasn't estimated properly?

07-15-2011, 03:22 PM	#9 (permalink)
Sophie123 Cat Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Shropshire, UK Posts: 118	I think I'm gonna go into my vets tomorrow and ask them what they advise. Conflicting advise still!

07-15-2011, 07:20 PM	#10 (permalink)
def kitty Cat Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 114	Your vet won't be able to predict when she'll go into heat, it is true that for majority of kittens that age is 5-6 months or later but it can happen at 4 months as well. If you're wondering about the safety of the procedure, kittens as young as 8 weeks can safely be spayed and neutered if the vet is trained to perform surgery on young kittens. Unfortunately, too many vets simply don't know how to do it. And I have spoken to a vet who is obviously not that good at it and prefers to spay cats after they've had a litter of kittens - because their uterus is bigger and easier to find and remove. Fortunately these old school vets are dying out, and hopefully more and more vets will acquire the skill to spay and neuter 2-3 month old kittens in the future.

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