Debunking Myths About Spaying And Neutering

by Mary Fariss

Spaying and neutering myths can stop you from going ahead with the operation. Find out the truth and make an informed decision.

Many cat owners rely on myths about spay & neuter as excuses for their failure to spay or neuter their own pet cats.

The following information is from the The Humane Society 0f the United States web pages which do a good job of debunking those old myths. http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/myths_and_facts_about_spaying_and_neutering.html

MYTH: My pet will get fat and lazy.

FACT: The truth is that most pets get fat and lazy because their owners feed them too much and don't give them enough exercise.

MYTH: It's better to have one litter first.

FACT: Medical evidence indicates just the opposite. In fact, the evidence shows that females spayed before their first heat are typically healthier. Many veterinarians now sterilize dogs and cats as young as eight weeks of age. Check with your veterinarian about the appropriate time for these procedures.

picture by Faeryboots on flickr.com

MYTH: My children should experience the miracle of birth.

FACT: Even if children are able to see a pet give birth—which is unlikely, since it usually occurs at night and in seclusion—the lesson they will really learn is that animals can be created and discarded as it suits adults. Instead, it should be explained to children that the real miracle is life and that preventing the birth of some pets can save the lives of others.

MYTH: But my pet is a purebred.

FACT: So is at least one out of every four pets brought to animal shelters around the country. There are just too many dogs and cats—mixed breed and purebred.

MYTH: I don't want my male dog or cat to feel like less of a male.

FACT: Pets don't have any concept of sexual identity or ego. Neutering will not change a pet's basic personality. He doesn't suffer any kind of emotional reaction or identity crisis when neutered.

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Other spaying and neutering misconceptions are:

• That a female cat should not be neutered until after her first oestrus period.
  
  
• That growth metabolism might be stunted as a result.
  
  
• That the eventual urethral diameter might be constricted, particularly in male cats, causing eventual urinary problems.
  
  
• That female cats in particular, might later develop incontinence as a result.
  
  
• That certain behavioral problems might result.

Most people should know by now that failure to spay/neuter is the number one cause of the pet population explosion. One unspayed female cat and her offspring, can be responsible for the birth of 73,000 kittens in six years. Indeed, female cats barely kittens themselves commonly give birth, and male cats as young as four months have been known to impregnate willing queens. Cat caregivers who wait the traditional six to eight months for the surgery are playing a game of Russian Roulette, and only serving to exacerbate the problem. Spaying and neutering your cat should always be the priority of any cat owner.