If you have cats or dogs have you had them neutered?

[combustiblelemon]

If not, why?

Good luck! Bear in mind they might be more prone to putting on weight, and may be more interested in food (when it becomes their sole interest, iyswim!) but if your sensible with diet and exercise it's not an inevitable outcome of neutering- I dare anyone to say that my dog or bitch (both neutered, of course!) are overweight! Hope it goes well for you!

Our cat had been a stray and came from RSPCA so was 'done' before she came to live with us.

ours is 6 months and not been spayed yet, but is on the top of our list of important stuff to do for the next month.
just getting the money together for DD2's birthday next week, then can start putting money aside for the pdsa box.

Had both my cats done and my dog was neutered on recommendation of dog trainer ! Very dominant dog, took to running off for miles and not returning (I was concerned he would be shot for sheep worrying etc). Male vet was reluctant (this was about 15 yrs ago) but did as I asked once he had reached sexual maturity. Stopped him running off but didn't stop him humping everything he could (including the cat!).

I always leave my cats until they reach sexual maturity (think my old cat was about 9/10 months old, is now 19.5yrs and massive).

My 9 month old Border Collie is recovering from his op , as we speak.

He's very self confident and dominant, esp with our children so thought it best, plus we would never breed from him, and it's better for him health wise. .

I don't think he agrees with me though, he's especially not impressed with his Buster Collar ,and he has to wear it for another 6 days yet!

Poor cat Countingto10!

yes both of the dogs are an my horse is castrated as well :p

It's unbelievable that vets are giving such old-wives-tale advice, it's awful to think about how many pups have ended up dead because of a dog not being neutered and going on to produce even more unwanted dogs. I think all vets should be made to do a refresher course to get them up to 21st century standards and understand the negative impact of some of their ill-advice can have on animal welfare.

All the cats we've had have been neutered. We didn't spey our first dog as we vaguely thought about breeding from her but in the event she turned out to frigid - or at least, she would primly sit down any time a male dog came near and refuse to budge until the coast was clear. Our second dog humped everything despite being a girl so she was whisked off to the vet's asap. Being CKC's they both tended to be overweight but the non-speyed dog was the fatter.

suedonim, do you're cavaliers get enough exersize? yes some breeds are more prone to become obese than others but at CKC's are particularly prone to heart problems you should make a real effort to get them down to the recommended weight. i.e. plenty of exersize building up gradually to about an hour a day and a low-fat diet. (you can get light food for dogs on a diet, preferably a good brand such as burns or royal canin, no rubbish like pedigree chum or bakers etc!)

Thanks Countrygirl, though it's too late for advice in our case. Our first dog died suddently of liver disease aged 12 many years ago. My parents walked her endlessly but she was still overweight. And my mum, too, come to that.

Our second CKC is 14yo and because we're living abroad she lives with a foster family who have lots of CKC's on a smallholding. She's in seventh heaven there. Funnily enough, neither dog has had any sign of heart trouble at all so we've been lucky.

Both my boy cats are neutered.

I dithered for ages, especially as they are pretty much house cats and never go beyond our backyard - plus I felt peculiarly guilty for some bizarre reason (reverse feminism?).

I ignored the increasing incidences of little feline cocks popping out and mini-spraying (or "scenting" as bowdlerising DH called it), but the final straw came when DH got out of bed one morning after a lie-in, visibly shaking and pointing to his forehead, going "smell this! smell this!"...

...one of the little chaps had "scented" his head

and off we were to the vets the next week