Five Reasons to Spay or Neuter Your Cat

Several cat owners have had their animals spayed or neutered early, other owners toy with the idea. Spaying and neutering is a surgical procedure, wherein pets would undergo a recuperation period. Understandably, the majority of cat owners do not want to inflict pain - especially since the cat is unable to understand the cause of discomfort. On the other hand, spaying or neutering has many benefits, and healing is relatively quick. When a feline goes through "heat," their behavior changes significantly. Constant whining and misbehaving is common. Of course, the reasons to have a cat spayed or neuter go beyond simply wanting a well-behaved pet.

Here are five good reasons to spay or neuter your cat.

1. Control the Cat Population

Animal shelters around the country are overloaded with unwanted or strayed animals. Family pets may mate with a neighborhood stray, and produce a litter of cat. When a family cat becomes pregnant, owners may decide to keep the litter, or give the kittens away. In this case, the animals are provided homes. If a female stray becomes pregnant, this increases the number of stray cats. The local animal shelter or SPCA will attempt to adopt out the strays. However, when the demand is too great, a large number of strays are euthanized.

2. Health Benefits

Getting your female or male cat spayed or neutered has certain health benefits. For starters, female cats have a lower risk of developing life-threatening conditions such as mammarian cancer and uterine diseases. Likewise, male cats have a decreased risk of prostrate and testicular cancer.

3. Keeps Furniture Urine Free

Regardless of how well-behaved your cat has been in the past, he or she will likely mark their territory if they haven't been spayed or neuter. Felines mark their territory by spraying the carpet or furniture with urine. In most cases, spraying occurs multiple times throughout the day, and pet owners have to have furniture replaced or professional cleaned.

4. Quiet the Whining

When a feline is sexually charged, he or she will whine, cry, or howl for several hours. Pet owners can discipline, yell, and shout - it won't matter. Relieving the urges is the only way to calm the animal. Since sexual feelings can last for several days or weeks, getting the animal spayed or neutered will remove the urges, and pet owners can re-gain their sanity.

5. Happy Cats

Cats behave very differently in heat, and it is often difficult for pet owners to predict their mood. In rare cases, female and male cats that are not been spayed or neutered have been known to attack or snap at people.