Time to neuter?

The breeding season lasts from late winter to late summer, but all year round for indoor cats. You might notice that the mating urge can give rise to some unusual behaviour. A queen in heat is said to be "calling" and will be noisy and restless, often squirming and rolling about on the floor. Toms, on the other hand, may roam, get into fights and spray the house with urine. Not much fun.

It can all be rather disturbing and the solution, if you don’t want kittens or funny behaviour on your hands, is neutering.

From an early age (between five and six months) cats can give birth three times every year throughout their lives. We recommend neutering, but your vet will be able to talk to you about cat rearing if that's the route you want to take.

If, on the other hand, you opt for neutering, there's lots you might like to know. Neutering a male cat is called castration. For females it's spaying and it’s perfectly fine for it to be done when she reaches 5-6 months, whether she's already had a litter or not.

Your vet will have performed a neutering operation plenty of times, and it's nothing for you or her to worry about. You can usually take your cat to the vet in the morning and collect her the same evening. She'll have been anaesthetised, so she might be a bit woozy when she wakes up. Letting her recover in a quiet area with few disturbances other than the occasional gentle stroke will be greatly appreciated.

She may be prone to weight gain after the operation so a properly balanced diet, as provided by Whiskas® Kitten Pouches, is all important.

There are other advantages to neutering. A male kitten’s urge to spray and mark his territory should disappear, he won’t feel the need to roam as much, and he won’t be so inclined to get into scuffles. As a result, he won't come home with scratches and bite marks as often (if at all), and will be better protected against diseases like leukaemia and FIV which are contracted through sex, or through battle wounds. Neutering will also reduce the risk of mammary tumours and womb infections in female cats, and urinary tract problems in males. So it's not just about keeping your house from being overrun!