
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, November 5, 1995                   TAG: 9511060002
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-17   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: JILL BOWEN
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

NEUTERING CATS IS BEST FOR THEM - AND FOR THEIR OWNERS

Q: My daughter has been volunteering at the local SPCA shelter, and we are now the proud owners of two adorable little kittens, a male and a female about 10 weeks old. The family thinks it would be neat for them to have kittens together when they grow up. However, the SPCA insists that we have them neutered. What do you think? At what age should they be neutered?

A: It may sound like a cute idea to let your cats have kittens, but the negative aspects far outweigh any positive ones - even apart from the requirements of the SPCA, with which I am in total agreement, as we have far too many unwanted kittens in the world.

Neutering (castrating) your male cat makes good sense, as living with an uncastrated tom may not be pleasant, particularly if he spends time indoors. Adult toms have a very heavy odor that is almost impossible to remove by normal cleaning methods. They also have a some distinctly anti-social behaviors, the worst of which is marking their territory by spraying urine on furniture, drapes and clothing.

Uncastrated male cats roam and get into fights with other males, both in territorial disputes and over any female in season. If the neighbors have cats, even if neutered, they will probably be attacked by your marauding tom.

Male cats should be castrated when they are six to eight months old, before they have developed the strong male odor. Neutered males are friendlier to other cats in the household, easier to handle and more affectionate than females; it is said that neutered male cats make better pets than neutered females.

The surgery must be done under a general anesthetic, but it is relatively minor and should necessitate only a one-day stay at your veterinarian's office.

Female cats come into heat at about seven months of age and will remain in season for about three weeks unless they mate and become pregnant. They will come back into season again in another three weeks. Cats in the wild are seasonal breeders; in domestic situations, they will breed all year round, with the greatest number of kittens being born in late spring or early summer. A female in heat becomes incredibly affectionate. She also will try her best to get out of the house, squeezing through the smallest of gaps, in order to meet the boys.

However, the most noticeable sign of her condition is the wailing. It is particularly loud and persistent, especially in some of the Asian breeds such as Siamese.

The usual time to neuter (spay) a female cat is about six months of age, before she has had a chance to become pregnant.

Contrary to popular belief, there is no benefit in letting a female have one litter of kittens. Spaying a female cat does not result in as many or as obvious changes in behavior as in the male, as females tend to be more playful and more hygienic than males, and demand more attention.

An ovario-hysterectomy is a little more complicated than castration of the male, but it should require only an overnight stay at the veterinarian's office.

If you have a question for Jill Bowen, please write to her in care of the New River Current, P.O. Box 540, Christiansburg, Va. 24073 or send e-mail to Currentbev.net

by CNB