Spay / Neuter
When should I fix my cat?
For cats the evidence is far more settled than it is for dogs: desexing before the first heat prevents unwanted litters and reduces mammary cancer risk, and most professional bodies now converge on around five months.
By Dr. Elena Rowe, DVM · Reviewed by Dr. Priya Anand, DVM, DACVIM · Updated 2026-08-25 · 8 min read
The five-month consensus
A coalition of North American veterinary organisations recommends spaying or neutering owned cats by five months of age. Cats can cycle as early as four months, so waiting until six frequently means an accidental litter.
Paediatric desexing at breeders
Many pedigree catteries desex kittens at eight to twelve weeks before placement. Studies following early-desexed cats have not found meaningful long-term harm, and it guarantees the contract is honoured.
Benefits and trade-offs
Spaying before the first heat substantially lowers mammary tumour risk and eliminates pyometra. Neutering reduces spraying, roaming and fight-related abscesses. The main trade-off is a lower metabolic rate afterwards, so reduce calories by roughly a quarter after surgery and monitor weight.
Frequently asked questions
- Is it too late to spay an adult cat?
- No. Spaying at any age eliminates pyometra risk and prevents litters, though the mammary cancer benefit shrinks after the first few heats.
- Does neutering change a cat's personality?
- It reduces hormone-driven behaviours like spraying and roaming. Core personality — playfulness, affection, confidence — does not change.