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Read a question and answer from our archives here, and scroll down to ask me a question you and your pet have been pondering!  Check articles and questions others have asked using the Ask Dr. B and Pet Conditions buttons, and check our stories, too. Please note: if you believe your pet's situation is critical, Dr. Baum urges you to contact your vet ASAP.

WHEN SHOULD KITTENS BE NEUTERED OR SPAYED?

Dear Dr. Baum --

When is the proper time to neuter a kitten?

Thanks, Linda, Los Angeles, CA

Dear Linda:

Male cats (tom cats) can be neutered or castrated as early as two months of age, but I prefer to wait until they are five to six months of age. There are no deleterious effects from neutering them at these young ages.

For females there is a definite health benefit for spaying (or ovariohysterectomizing) at this young age -- before the onset of the first heat. Breast cancers are practically nonexistent in females that never experience the estrogen jolt to their systems that occurs with onset of the heat periods. Spaying after the first heat has only a minimal effect in relationship to the occurrence of these cancers.

Dr. B

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