The National Kitten Coalition is excited to host Dr. Philip Bushby and Esther Mechler from the Feline Fix by Five program of Marian’s Dream to present on sterilizing kittens by five months of age.
There is confusion in the general public and private veterinary community about the optimum time to spay/neuter felines. For many, the recommended time has been six months of age. By that time a cat may be pregnant and shelters are overflowing. For that reason, Marian’s Dream embarked on a campaign to push the recommended age for felines back by four weeks. Dr. Bushby will present his findings on why the change is recommended, specific concerns that people have raised, and the research that supports the change.
Veterinarians often wait until cats are 6 months old before spay/neuter. The AVMA, AAHA, AAFP and the ASV disagree with waiting that long. The new normal is prior to 5 months of age. Several factors have led to this change:
1. Mammary neoplasia is the 3rd most common cancer in cats and 85 to 90% of feline mammary tumors are malignant. Spay before 5 months of age significantly reduces mammary neoplasia.
2. Spay/Neuter prior to 5 months of age reduces unplanned and unwanted litters of kittens.
3. Castration prior to 5 months of age significantly reduces sexual behaviors which often cause relinquishment of cats to animal shelters.
It is safe to spay/neuter cats that young. Surgeries are easier, faster and safer. There are no adverse physiologic or orthopedic effects from spay/neuter prior to 5 months of age. Cats in shelters should be sterilized prior to adoption. Owned cats should be sterilized after the kitten vaccination series, but before 5 months of age.
*The recording for this webinar will be available on NKC’s Archived Webinar page (https://kittencoalition.org/resources/archived-webinars/) within a few weeks after the webinar ends.
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