Getting a boy cat fixed?

Question

We already have a 1 1/2 year old girl cat who is fixed. We are getting a 7 week old boy kitten on Friday. When is it okay to get him fixed? When do boy cats start spraying? A friend told me that boy cats can get something like crystals from getting fixed too early. I'm not sure what she was really talking about. Do you?

Answer 1

usually neutered about 5-6 months, a good vet would want the cat to have some kitten shots first. the crystals have nothing to do with a fixed boy cat. boy cats can get urinary crystals, fixed or not. a lot of people don't know this, but, if your boy cat ever has trouble peeing, get him to the vet. it is an emergency. they can die very fast from being blocked.

Answer 2

Getting A Male Cat Fixed

Answer 3

Some vets will do paediatric neutering but there is sometimes a chance that the cat can be half neutered. (Only one testicle is found and removed). My opinion is to let him get to 5-6 months so that both of his testicles should be desended into the scrotum that way there is no chance of him having to have a second surgery to find the other. I have seen this happen on a couple occasions. Male cats can usually start spraying around 6 months and up. As for crystals from being fixed to early, I personally have never heard of that. I have only known that male cats should not be fed a constant diet of fishy DRY food because it can cause crystals in their urine which leads to blockages.

Answer 4

Male cats are usually neutered at 5-6 months, the same as a female. You want to make sure that the testicles have both descended, and that the kitten is a little bigger. Most vets would like the kitten to be close to 4lbs, as the anesthesia can pose a risk for a kitten that is too small. However, the size issue is more important for a female kitten because they are under longer. For male kittens, from the initial injection to the time they wake up, is only about 10 minutes. You don't want to wait any longer than 6 months because at this point they are sexually mature and may begin spraying, or worse, if he happens to get outside, breeding.

Crystals forming in the urinary tract from this procedure is very unlikely. What they are are crystals that form in the urinary tract and cause a blockage in the urethra, then surgery is needed to unblock it. I have never seen a case where this has occured from a castration.

Talk to your vet when you take him in for vaccinations. He or she can tell you at what age they prefer to do the procedure, and tell you if there is a risk of crystals forming, in their opinion.

That being said, I have two male cats. I had one neutered at 5 1/2 months. The other was neutered at just 10 weeks. I was volunteering at a spay and neuter clinic for stray and feral cats and dogs. He was one of the stray kittens brought in and I fell in love with him, so he got to come home with me. Both of them got through their surgeries and recovered just fine.

Have fun with your new kitten. Boy kitties are the best! :)

Answer 5

Getting a boy cat fixed?

Answer 6

Vet will tell you that a kitten can be fixed as soon as they weigh 2 lbs. But before they are 8 months old. I don't know what she is talking about the crystals. One warning do not use a litter with crystals in it. It can get into a males urinary track and cause all kinds of problems. My friend didn't listen to the vet and kept using it and after the 3rd visit they had to put the cat down. She used it after the cat had to have a painful surgery to get the crystals out of it bladder and urinary tract.

Answer 7

The Winn Feline Health Foundation did research on early spaying and neutering and I think they found it did not effect the male cat in that way.

You should go to: http://littlebigcat.com and read Dr. Jean Hovfe's article, "Why Cats Need Canned Food" , "Selecting a Good Commercial Pet Food", and "Urinary Tract Disorders in Cats". Those articles will give you the best advice on preventing the urinary tract problems that seem to affect male cats more than females.

It is a good idea to get your boy neutered by five months. Many vets will insist you wait till six months and I advise you to do that sooner to prevent spraying. That means you check the calendar and mark off the five month date so you don't let it go beyond that time. You will be talking to the vet when the little guy goes in for shots, worming or whatever he needs at 7 weeks so discuss it then and make plans for the operation.
If your vet insists on the six-month time-line start looking for another vet or a clinic who will do it earlier.

Answer 8

You need to get your little boy fixed at 6 months at the latest in order to avoid the bad behavior. Ask your vet about it and he will give you the best advice because he's been to vet school and your friend hasn't. As far as the crystals, NON-neutered males are more likely to have this problem in their urinary tract and it can be fatal, so get the little guy fixed when your vet says to.

Answer 9

I don't know about crystals from being fixed too early, but I do know that fixing too soon could damage a kitten's growth.

I have heard of male kittens being fixed as early as 4 months, but 6 months is the usual time. And that is about the time you have to start watching for spraying.

Answer 10

A male kitten may be neutered after his "balls" drop - that is, after the testicles drop from the body to fill the scrotum. At 7 weeks, I doubt that has happened yet to your male kitty. But you have a lot of time before he becomes sexually active. Male cats don't spray until they are at least 6 months old (if that). They are sexually mature at 10 months to a year depending on the breed.

"Crystals" are fine gritty particles that sometimes form in the cat's urine causing Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD), sometimes referred to by its previous name, Feline Urologic Syndrome (FUS). In more serious cases, the crystals progress to a point that a plug is formed, causing a blockage, or obstruction, in the urinary tract. due to their narrow urethra, males are more susceptible to blockage.
There are two common types of urine crystals. The first, struvite, is a combination of 3 minerals. It is more common in young adult cats and is usually treated with a special diet
that dissolves the crystals. The second type is composed of the mineral calcium oxalate; this is more common in older cats. Oxalate crystals cannot be addressed with diet, and may require surgical treatment.The crystals are caused by several factors, many of which are poorly understood. Two common causes are diet and a prior history of urinary tract infections.

Personally, I see no point in having a kitten neutered earlier than 3 months.