How Soon Can a Kitten be Spayed/Neutered?

I have 3 kittens, 9 weeks old. I was looking online to see how soon they can be 'fixed', but I'm coming across conflicting information.
Some say as early as 8 weeks for males, and around 9-10 weeks for females.
Other sites say no sooner than 6 months old.

Does anyone here have any experience with getting your male kitten neutered at 8 weeks? Did you have any problems?

originally posted by: sled735
I have 3 kittens, 9 weeks old. I was looking online to see how soon they can be 'fixed', but I'm coming across conflicting information.
Some say as early as 8 weeks for males, and around 9-10 weeks for females.
Other sites say no sooner than 6 months old.

Does anyone here have any experience with getting your male kitten neutered at 8 weeks? Did you have any problems?

dogs are 6 months
cats suck so who cares? just do it





j/k i don tknow

9 weeks

Not recommended before three months and four months is better. You will find some people recommending on either side of this. For example, this article here recommends even longer. Your best bet would to be to ask a vet. Your local PAWS may also be a good source of info. But as you see already in this thread, you'll get answers all over the map if you depend on places like ATS.

a reply to: sled735

We get ours done at 12 weeks normally.

It's a very big ordeal for a little animal (especially the females) and you want it to have grown enough to minimise the recovery trauma.

The hardest part of it as the owner is having the cat deal with wearing the cone. They absolutely hate it.

Just call your local Vet. They'll tell you and there's no charge.

a reply to: sled735

Some say as early as 8 weeks for males, and around 9-10 weeks for females.

Thats what my vet says . But only after an initial checkup and needed shots.
I usually wait a bit longer .
Like someone else said , call a vet . It is free.

originally posted by: markosity1973
a reply to: sled735

We get ours done at 12 weeks normally.

It's a very big ordeal for a little animal (especially the females) and you want it to have grown enough to minimise the recovery trauma.

The hardest part of it as the owner is having the cat deal with wearing the cone. They absolutely hate it.

I've never had a cat that had to wear a cone, whether male or female.

a reply to: sled735

I'd call a vet and ask. And if you are worried about cost, then depending on where you are, you can usually find spay/neuter clinics that will often do it for free or very reduced cost.

Thanks.

The reason I posted to ask on ATS is so I could see if anyone had done it so early, and to see if the kitten had any issues.
I've never had one done that young.

originally posted by: ketsuko

originally posted by: markosity1973
a reply to: sled735

We get ours done at 12 weeks normally.

It's a very big ordeal for a little animal (especially the females) and you want it to have grown enough to minimise the recovery trauma.

The hardest part of it as the owner is having the cat deal with wearing the cone. They absolutely hate it.

I've never had a cat that had to wear a cone, whether male or female.

Hmm, interesting. I've had three (female) cats neutered and they have all had to wear the cone. It's to stop them from licking the would and ripping the stitches open. Maybe you have a vet with a better surgical technique?

Just asked my sister-in-law who is a vet (not the Vietnam kind) and she said between 4-6 months as it cuts down the risk of breast cancer.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

Just asked my sister-in-law who is a vet (not the Vietnam kind) and she said between 4-6 months as it cuts down the risk of breast cancer.

Thank you. I think I'll wait another month, just to be on the safe side. He still looks so little to be going through something like that.

I took mine to a spay and neuter place but at 5 months of age. No cones, and my two females have a weird tuck in their tummies, so a new kind of procedure. They're 6 yrs old now, no problems then or now. The cone would have been stupid, since they all bath each other.

originally posted by: Caver78
I took mine to a spay and neuter place but at 5 months of age. No cones, and my two females have a weird tuck in their tummies, so a new kind of procedure. They're 6 yrs old now, no problems then or now. The cone would have been stupid, since they all bath each other.

I had the mother cat spayed in June. She didn't have to wear a cone either. She's doing fine.

originally posted by: sled735
I have 3 kittens, 9 weeks old. I was looking online to see how soon they can be 'fixed', but I'm coming across conflicting information.
Some say as early as 8 weeks for males, and around 9-10 weeks for females.
Other sites say no sooner than 6 months old.

Does anyone here have any experience with getting your male kitten neutered at 8 weeks? Did you have any problems?

Our vet recommended 3 to 4 months when we had a stray cat show up and give birth to kittens in our garage!

a reply to: markosity1973

All of our vets have said to watch them, but none of our females have ever seriously offered to try to tear out their stitches.

Granted, I've had fewer females than males over the years ... 4 males to 3 females ... with the others already having been done. But not even the males have needed the cone.

Our dog, on the other hand ...

Oh, and we had one pet rat done, and he had to wear a cone. That was one of the most comically pathetic things ever. Poor little guy! When they use their paws to eat and then have a cone. We came home to him lying by his food bowl with a kibble in his mouth and this cynical expression on his face like, "Well, what now, you morons?" He looked so wounded to have to be spoon fed while his stitches were healing.

a reply to: sled735

Nine weeks is exactly the earliest you should do it. You're good to go.

I've got two males- one adopted from a shelter as a kitten, snipped way too young. Cute cat, decent mouser... Mostly sleeps and watches. Snuggly barn cat.
The other I knew from birth, waited more than eight weeks. Scardy-cat, but I don't think that's related. Biggest cat I've met. Could eat a small dog- but he's a gentle bear.

All in all, not sure it matters. My first car grew up stray, got snipped a few years in... Great cat, but a bit of a loaner.

Personally talk to your vet, in relation to their present behavior, etc., to set a date for the procedures. Personally and even with my past Vets(work/worked for and went to), eight to ten weeks(especially for females) is on the young side and don't really encourage it. As some vets won't perform the surgeries at eight weeks.

However, pediatric spay and neutering;

The American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Animal Hospital Association are just two professional organizations that support pediatric neutering. For a few years now, veterinarians at the ASPCA have been neutering all shelter animals who weigh at least two pounds before adoption. Yet despite the research, testimonials, anecdotal information and endorsements, the controversy continues.

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