Cat Health

What If I Don’t Neuter My Cat?

The term neutering is the process of removing your male and female cat’s reproductive organs, to tame abnormal heat behaviors.

what if I don’t neuter my cat? They will spray around your home and furniture, escape from the house, get some disease from coming in contact with other cats, contribute to the overpopulation of cats, and they will be at higher risk of developing cancer.

Although this sounds like a very cruel act on the part of the cats–in the bigger picture, it is beneficial to the health, and the general warfare of your cat. The world is gradually becoming excessively populated with cats, with the UK recording over 2 million feral cats.

Most of these stray cats get euthanized, adopted by people, or end up in animal shelters. Except you have a plan of a place where your cat’s kittens will stay, you should neuter them. But what happens if i don’t neuter my cat?

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What If I Don’t Neuter My Cat?

If you’re on the fence about neutering your cat, you’re not alone. It’s a big decision, and there are a lot of factors to consider.

But here’s the thing: not neutering your cat can have some serious consequences. Unaltered cats can develop serious health problems, and they can also cause unwanted pregnancies in cats and kittens.

Ultimately, it’s up to you whether or not to neuter your cat. But if you’re still undecided, we hope this article has helped you make a more informed decision.

Not neutering your cats will not only affect other people, but it will also affect you directly or indirectly–increasing amounts spent on vet visits, or you even losing your cat.

They will Spray Around Your Home And Furniture

Just in case you’re trying to keep your male cat intact, thinking you’re making a kind choice, your cat’s raging hormones will make them frustrated. A male that hasn’t been neutered will carry out the competition of: “I’m the head of the house” with other companion cats(if they are indoor cats) or will go out, looking for competitors to fight and territory to mark.

You may have only one cat, and you will be thinking: ” he doesn’t go out, so there will be no such scenery” cats are notorious for escaping their homes. They will end up encountering males who have roamed distance–in search of a female to mate with. Fights will ensue and your cat may get injured or killed.

But if you’re successful in keeping the cat indoors, they will spray urine around your house and furniture. In the animal world, communication through smell is how they get along with their environment.

Cats are territorial beings, they perceive themselves to be equal, which is why they like to mark their territories to avoid confrontations since confrontation can trigger anxiety or make them stressed. This is how their social structure works, unlike dogs who have a way of determining who the leader of the pack is.

A nonaggressive way of letting other cats know where their territory begins and ends–is spraying. They will also spray to communicate they are in heat.

Solution: The best way to get rid of this annoying act is to neuter the cats while they are still young, this will prevent them from developing the spraying habit of attracting females. Also, a neutered feline is less likely to put up aggressive acts.

Your Cat Will Escape The House and Wander

Your cat will wander away from the house or try escaping if: your cat is pregnant, is in heat, getting love food and attention from your neighbors, you are scared or your cat is old. For all these reasons listed above, your cat will run away mostly because of their reproductive periods.

When your cat is in heat, their personalities might be affected as it will resort to uncanny behaviors. Cats in heat are usually like vigilantes; they will scan their area for a mate, and the absence of a mate will push them to look far away from home.

A cat who is in heat will always find its way past any fence–no matter how high. Male cats are usually stubborn, they will roam, and fight if needed–just to get what they escaped the house for.

Form 4 months old, a female cat can enter her first heat period, with 2-3 cycles spanning from February – October. If your cat becomes pregnant, you’ll notice either a more loving and sweet personality or an annoying, irritating character.

You will find your cat either spending more time in her litter box or trying to escape the house at the later stage of her pregnancy, this is to find a safe place where she can deliver her kittens–even if it means running away.

To negate aggression, escaping the house, and other related issues that may arise better to neuter your cat. While you should ensure you provide a calm secluded space for your cat while she is pregnant and in her final stages.

They will get Diseases From Other Cats they Come in contact with

Indoor cats outlive stray cats times 2. The general care, food, and shelter received by an indoor cat help them to attain a longer and healthier life. The stray cat won’t get these much care, deworming schedule with the vet, constant checkups, supplements, and organic healthy treats–this means they’ll die pretty faster.

In the previous sub-headings, we noted the abnormal erratic and sneaky behavior of cats in heat. When they sneak away from the house in search of a mating partner, they are more likely to contract feline AIDs, and leukemia–these viruses, have no cure yet. Asides from this, feral cats carry warms and other diseases that could be transferred to humans.

Your indoor cat that is in search of a mating pal will likely get into a fight with a stray cat, this aside, cats bit each other when they are mating or trying to mate. Disease transmissible to humans include:

  • Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis is one of the diseases cats can pass on to humans, pregnant women,  and people with weakened immune systems who are more at risk. This disease is caused by a parasite that is usually found in the feces of cats that are affected

The parasites are transmitted from contact with the cat’s feces, while this may seem unlikely to you–these parasites are microscopic(which means they can’t be seen by the eyes), and you could encounter them while you clean out the cat’s litter, which is why I never fail to disinfect after each encounter with the litter. This disease usually leads to miscarriage in pregnant women.

  • Rabies

A very deadly disease that affects the central nervous system, usually transmitted by stray dogs, bats, and cats. Touching the animals cannot transmit rabies to you, for you(a human) to be infected by rabies, the saliva of the infected animal has to enter your bloodstream.

If not halted with timely intervention, rabies heads straight to the brain, leading to irreversible consequences. A bite from an infected animal should be treated and sterilized as soon as possible.

Solution: neuter your cat or Ringworm and cat scratch disease(CSD) are also diseases you could get from a cat that has come in contact with a stray cat.

Contribute to Overpopulation of Cats

A cat that hasn’t been fixed will contribute to the overpopulation of cats. Overpopulation in cats as approximated by ASPCA is the deficit between (3.4 million cats who enter animal shelters yearly) and ( 3.1 million who are adopted each year). Who takes care of the 300,000 cats who are not adopted? Most of them are euthanized.

Asides from the cats who are sent into animal shelters, there are over 50- 70 million feral cats in the United States alone. Not neutering your cats will only be adding to the menace.

Risk of developing Cancer

Male cats that are not neutered are at greater risk of developing testicular cancer. Intact females are also at risk of developing uterine and mammary cancer.

How to Make the Decision to Neuter Your Cat

Making the decision to neuter your cat can be a difficult one. You may be worried about the health and well-being of your pet, or you may simply be unsure of whether or not neutering is the right choice for you.

Luckily, there are several esources available to help you make the decision that’s right for your cat. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has a detailed guide on titswebsite that can help you weigh the pros and cons of neutering, and Veterinary Pet Insurance offers an online calculator to help you estimate the cost of surgery.

When making your decision, it’s important to consider not only the health and welfare of your pet,but also your oifestyle and budget. Neutering is a major surgery that requires anesthesia, so it’s important to make sure you’re comfortable with both the risks and the costs involved.

Is Neutering Your Cat the Right Choice for You?

The biggest question most cat owners have when it comes to neutering is whether or not it’s the right choice for them and their ppets There are a lot of factors to consider, such as whether you have another pet cat that needs to be neutered, whether you have the time and money to properly care for a cat, and whether you think your cat will be happier and healthier with or without surgery.

Ultimately, only you can decide whether or not neutering is the right choice for your cat. But by considering all of the pros and cons, you can make an informed decision that’s best for both you and your furry friend.

Conclusion

what happens if i don t neuter my male cat? Neutering your male cat is the best thing you could do for the cat population, asides that, it makes it easier for you as a cat parent, since we all know how sneaky cats can be. By neutering your cat, you’ll be eliminating most of the problems faced by unfixed male and female cats.

Joshua Kaynard

I am Joshua kaynard, an avid cat lover. Our pets provide an excellent way of connecting with nature; I am committed to helping you understand all the aspects of your feline friend's life. Enjoy!

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