Benefits of Spaying/Neutering 

Medical Benefits:

• Your female cat will live a longer, healthier life. Spaying helps prevent uterine infections and breast tumors, which are malignant or cancerous in about 90 percent of cats.
• Spaying your female before her first heat offers the best protection from these diseases.
• Neutering your male cat prevents testicular cancer and some prostate problems.

Behavioral Benefits:

• Your spayed female won't go into heat. While cycles can vary, female felines usually go into heat four to five days every three weeks during breeding season. In an effort to advertise for mates, they'll yowl and urinate more frequently—sometimes all over the house!
• Your male cat will be less likely to roam away from home. An intact male will do just about anything to find a mate, including finding creative ways to escape from the house. Once he's free to roam, he risks injury in traffic and fights with other male animals.
• Your neutered male may be better behaved. Unneutered cats are more likely to mark their territory by spraying strong-smelling urine all over the house. Some aggression problems may be avoided by early neutering.

Common Myths/Misconceptions about Spay/Neuter

• Spaying or neutering will not cause your cat to become overweight. Lack of exercise and overfeeding will cause your pet to pack on the extra pounds—not neutering. 
• Neutering is not a quick fix for all behavior problems. Although neutering your cat often reduces undesirable behaviors caused by a higher level of testosterone, there’s no guarantee that unwanted behaviors will be completely eliminated.

When to Spay or Neuter Your Pet

We require that all kittens be AT LEAST 12 WEEKS OLD at the time of surgery as a safety precaution.  In an effort to avoid the start of urine spraying and eliminate the chance for pregnancy, it’s advisable to schedule the surgery before your own cat reaches five months of age. It’s possible to spay a female cat while she’s in heat. As a practice, all cats placed into forever homes by Sheltering Hands are spayed/neutered prior to adoption.