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What age to have a kitten fixed?

ilovemysphynx

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Hi all, Just looking for some of your answers on this. If you have a litter of kittens at what age do you or your vet think they can be fixed? My vet says it is better to wait until 6 months and I know this is better, but I also know some people do it way sooner I have talked to breeders that have it done at 12 weeks before the babies go to new homes? Is this safe or is a spay - neuter contract better?
 

ElGatoLoco

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I was wondering the same thing. ButterBall is around five months (I guess I should find out his actual birthday huh). I assumed six months would be a good time but wasn't for sure. So I guess I'll take him around April 1st.

I know that older cats at shelters are "altered" all the time but is there any risk to older cats? I guess what I'm trying to ask is, whats the difference in altering a 6 month old cat as opposed to an 8 year old.
 

ilovemysphynx

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I know 6 months is a good age. but I am beeding my pair and need advice on when to have the babies done before they go to their new home... I don't belive you don't know when butterball's birthday is I am waiting to see a video of his first b-day party!
 

streakin

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Xerxes was neutered before he came home from the breeders, his was done at 14 weeks and we picked him up 2 days later. I've heard 6 month usually from the vets, but if you're planning on breeding and such I would think they should be fixed before they go to their new home, or at least in the contract that it needs to be done by a certain age (that you feel appropriate)
 

admin

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Our first kittens(last year,see pics in album)were not fixed before they went to their new home,but we did put it in the contract,(must have fixed before receiving papers,and if bred we would receive 500.00 dollars per cat to deter breeding.)but we will see how this works out.Next time we will fix before going to new home.Its hard to find a vet to do this when their that young.
 

kerrie78

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The vets that I worked for would ok for spay or neuter as long as they are at least 2lbs & at least 9 weeks. It is more of a personal opinion with most vets. Although I did a few that were 8 weeks before; again it is opinion.
 

ilovemysphynx

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So Kerrie you have done them at 8 weeks but would not if it was your kitty is that what you are saying? I did not have the heart to do it that young and my vet would not I could have found A vet that would but didn't. I just seemed wrong to me.
 

Moonstone

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So Kerrie you have done them at 8 weeks but would not if it was your kitty is that what you are saying? I did not have the heart to do it that young and my vet would not I could have found A vet that would but didn't. I just seemed wrong to me.

I'm a breeder, I spay or neuter all the kitties before they go to their new home and never had problem. I know that lots of vets desagree with this (in france at least) but they are not up to date on this topic.
If you have a kitty to fix, it's better to do it before sexual maturity, between 6 and 8 months.
 

kerrie78

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No my new kitten with be neutered asap. Moonstone is right, it is best before sexual maturity. I have never seen it have a negative repercussion from doing it early. My dogs were neutered at 6 weeks & they say the same for dogs... 6 months is "supposedly best", again it is all opinion.
 

Moonstone

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No my new kitten with be neutered asap. Moonstone is right, it is best before sexual maturity. I have never seen it have a negative repercussion from doing it early. My dogs were neutered at 6 weeks & they say the same for dogs... 6 months is "supposedly best", again it is all opinion.

I agree with this, my vet spays the kittens around 14 weeks, it's better when done early, more easy for the vet, more easy for the kitten, and no problem, no worries about that for the future families.

The same day they are spayed, they play as if nothing happened. It's not the same for older cats, especially for the females.
 

kerrie78

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Again moonstone is correct, the older the animal is the longer for recovery, plus it always seems like they remember it a little more & lets face it no likes to be knocked out for surgery & the recovery process. Around here in IL even the shelters fix them before they are adopted & that is at 8 weeks for kittens & puppies. In the 10 years that I was a Vet Tech I never seen anything negative happen from an early neuter/ spay.
 

silly4lilly

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yea i got my male when he was about a year and a half and the breeder would not sell him unless he was neutered since he was older the vet supposedly wouldnt neuter him because he would have had longer recovery time which is why they preformed a vasectomy on him instead.

I also have a question about this which is kind of gross... for those of you who have a male sphynx with balls, do they dissapear sometimes? when River is laying down for a while and gets up, his "sack" is empty... its like they go inside of him... then when we walks around they come back. really wierd.

also, my female is not neutered. she goes through wierd phases like she doesnt want to be bothered with and she doesnt want to be touched.. then sometimes she wants a lot of attention. sometimes it seems like shes depressed or something.. she sits in the same spot for the whole day and if you go to touch her she like pulls back. i am not sure if this is because shes not fixed...maybe like PMS or something haha....but does anyone else have this same problem?
 

admin

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As far as the balls question:tinysmile_shy_t: No. Leonidas has his hangin at all times(i think?)I will watch tonight and let you know the outcome!
From what ive read(I may be wrong,DONT BITE MY HEAD OFF) I think the female sphynx is not as affectionate as the male sphynx,as is the case for my female.She will be lovey one minute then fights to get out of your arms the next.Leo my male is just a lover!
 

Moonstone

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I have 3 males with balls, and they are always hanging for sure...It is not normal that they disapear...they should not, they should stay always "outside" the body.
The temprature inside the body is too high for sperm to stay alive. You should have problem if you want to breed with him.
such as sterility and genetic transmission of this problem to the kitten (this problem is often due to a genetic reason)
 
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