What do YOU think? What is the best age to spay/neuter your cat...

I prefer to spay or neuter my dogs at an older age. I prefer for them to be closer to a year. However most shelters spay and neuter at a very young age. My most recent dog was spayed at approx 9 weeks before I adopted her. She has a lot of UTI problems because of it.

I don't think it harms them to spay/neuter before 6 months. The kitten I adopted was neutered at 9 weeks. Some people say that it changes their personality, but I know for my little guy it wasn't the case because I fostered him for a couple weeks before his surgery. I have to agree with Zeek: it doesn't matter when so long as it does happen.

Definitely before 6 months, but I don't think there's a single answer. I'd say 2.5 to 4.5 months, depending on the breed and any other factors to be considered.

Our foster kittens usually get spayed or neutered at 9-12 weeks of age, because they have to be at least 2 pounds to have the surgery. We find that they bounce right back after a few days and are ready to go up for adoption shortly after their surgery. Our own cats were spayed/neutered at 6 months because that is what our veterinarian recommended, and they also did just fine. I think that regardless of what age the veterinarian recommends, one of the most important things pet owners can do is spay and neuter their pets!!!!!

I think 6 months is idea, A lot of vets are doing spay or neutering with lazer treatment now so the cat has less healing time . I know with the tom cats we have had, they are more calmer when neutered early on in life, Thier are so many home-less cats in the area I live in that people are just foolish if they don't help keep numbers down by having there cat fixed,I feel the law should apply for both cat and dog owners that you only have so long before your animal has to be fixed, or you pay much more for every year your animal is not,

I got Tipper when he was 7 weeks old, and had him neutered at 7 months -- no problems. I found with Pepper, who was neutered at over a year old when he came to the shelter, that there was more marking in the house, and harder to train. I think 6 months is probably the most common age, that's what I've heard, anyway.

Every vet has a different opinion on this. Some say early, some say wait until the female goes through a first heat, some say don't, others want the males to mature, while other say before they lift their leg (which doesn't make sense) and then some say it will make a difference in their personality while others say not. If the veterinary community cannot agree, I feel I cannot comment. I do spay my females after their first heat. I neuter my males between 1-2 years, if I don't breed them, so their bone structure can fill out.

The shelter I work at has a policy of at least 8 weeks in age and at least 2 pounds in weight.

JeffRey

My vet said before their first heat is best. Less chance of breast cancer.

My vet says around 6 months. I have never had a problem.