Why You Should Still Spay Or Neuter A Cat If You Only Have One
Posted on: 24 July 2018
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Spaying or neutering a cat is important to prevent the cat from reproducing and adding to the growing population of pets. However, if you only plan to have one kitty, you may wonder why you should bother having that cat fixed. There's no other cat for it to breed with, after all! The fact of the matter is spaying and neutering have other benefits in addition to birth control. Here are three reasons you should spay or neuter your cat even if you only plan to have one cat.
1. Spaying and Neutering Prevent Cancer
Reproductive cancers are quite common in cats who are left intact. For instance, female cats often develop ovarian or uterine cancer, and male cats may develop testicular cancer. When your pets are fixed, these organs are removed, thereby preventing such cancers. Fixed cats tend to live longer, healthier lives for this reason. Plus, the cost of having your pet spayed or neutered is a lot less than that of cancer treatment.
2. Spaying and Neutering Prevent Behavioral Problems
Female cats can be very tough to deal with when they are in heat. Many try to escape the house in search of a mate. Others yowl uncontrollably or run around the house, seemingly out of control. Male cats may display unwanted behaviors like urination outside of the litter box and aggression. When you have your cat fixed, most of these behavioral problems will be prevented, which will make life a lot more pleasurable for you and your kitty.
3. Cats Have Been Known to Escape
You may reasonably figure that since your cat is indoors, he or she cannot reproduce. But cats can be sneaky, and yours would not be the first one to escape from your home. If an unaltered cat escapes, you can count on it coming back pregnant or, if it is a male, mating with the female cats it discovers outside. The more cats breed, the more unwanted cats will end up in shelters. If your fixed cat escapes, you don't have to worry about this possibility. Plus, fixed cats are less likely to attempt to escape.
In almost all cases, having your cat spayed or neutered is the best choice—for you, for the cat, and for the cat population in general. Talk to your vet to learn more about these procedures, and make an appointment for your new pet kitty ASAP.