Vet won't neuter yet. Do I dare take a chance?

[gritsar]

We have a little kitten named Bug that I brought home about a month ago. Bug is supposed to be a barn cat. However, Bug loves DH, DH loves Bug. The weather outside is turning colder and wetter, so guess where Bug is?

This creates a big problem for me, the cleaner of the litter box.

Bug is about 3 months old now. I want to get him neutered...DH says I want to neuter every male creature within a 5 mile radius, but that's neither here nor there.

I have two choices on getting him neutered - the SPCA's quarterly spay/neuter clinic or at my vet's.

I don't really trust the spay/neuter clinic. A few years back I worked at a group home for mentally handicapped adults. The residents had a kitten that I took to get spayed for them and agreed to keep at my house for a few days while she healed. The clinic shaved her, put her under anesthesia, but forgot to spay her. I've heard many stories of this clinic messing up.

However, my own vet won't neuter before the cat is 4 months old; more than a month away for Bug.

I don't want this cat to get in the habit of spraying in my house, on my new furniture. Is it safe to wait until he is 4 months old?

I have never owned a male cat before.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Never had a male cat but everything I read says to neuter before 6 months to prevent spraying.

 

[Evelle]

i get my animals done at a S/N clinic they do an amazing job!!
just think it this way... THATS ALL THEY DO!!! so they know what to do.. and what to look for..

plus its cheaper!!!

 

[aubreynoramarie]

i got my kittens at six weeks and they were neutered that month. they are almost six now and neither of them have had issues (a male and a female).
i know some vets have their own personal opinions on neutering (i guess everyone does and has their own website/scientific evidence to support their side) but thats just my experience. we also had our dog done young because he was showing mega aggression despite firm training and it had no ill effects also.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Quote:
We got our female cats done young, around 3 months I think.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

I had a male cat before he never sprayed and he lived with a unspayed female.
Now I have just one female kitten and I don't plan on spaying her.

 

[EweSheep]

We also neuter male cats around 3 months of age too to keep the issue from spraying.

Go get the cat done! You will be happy when it does!

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
But this particular clinic doesn't, as I explained. Obviously if they missed doing this other kitten it means they never checked the wound after the surgery, before releasing her to me. If they had they would have noticed that she didn't have a surgical incision. That was my first clue when I got the poor thing home and tried to check her wound that night, only to find she didn't have one.

I may have to call the other vet we sometimes use for our GSDs to see if they do it younger.

 

[Orchid]

I have had (okay, DO have

) lots of male cats and I've never had an issue with them spraying before they're six months old; in fact six months has normally been the age they are neutered. I don't think waiting one more month is going to create any kind of problem for you as long as he's using the litterbox just fine right now.


Pandapaws, have you ever had a female cat in heat in your house? You're going to want to get her spayed...trust me.

 

[ladyride]

Having owned several male & female cats all were spayed or neutered around 3-4 months . As another poster said each vet has their own ways of doing. I just preferred not to have have surprise litters. Every pet I have ever had has been spayed or neutered. Bug may be safe but your furniture may not.