Feline Neutering

Most male animals that are kept for companionship, work, or food production (horses, dogs, cats, bulls, boars) are neutered (castrated) unless they are intended to be used as breeding stock. This is a common practice to prevent unacceptable sexual behavior, reduce aggressiveness, and prevent accidental or indiscriminate breeding. The intact male (tomcat) is likely to roam, fight with other males, and spray and is of course, strongly attracted to seek out and mate with intact females. Tomcat urine is particularly odorous. Overall the intact male cat can make a most unpleasant household companion.

How does castration affect behavior?
The only behaviors affected by castration are those under the influence of male hormones (sexually dimorphic behaviors). A cat’s temperament, training, and personality are the result of genetics and upbringing, and are generally unaffected by the presence or absence of male hormones. Castration is unlikely to calm an overactive cat or decrease aggression toward people. Since the male brain is masculinized by the time of birth, castration will reduce some, but not all of the sexually dimorphic male behaviors. If performed prior to sexual maturity castration will help to prevent the development of secondary sexual characteristics such as penile barbs, large jowls and glands at the dorsal part of the cat’s tail.

What is neutering?
The operation of neutering or castration of male cats is called an orchidectomy. The procedure involves general anesthesia, and an incision is made over each side of the scrotal sac so that each testicle can be excised. External sutures are not generally required. In males both testicles descend prior to birth from inside the abdominal cavity through the inguinal canal into the scrotal sac. In some cats one or both testicles do not descend fully into the sac and may either remain in the abdomen or anywhere along the inguinal canal path to the scrotal sac. These cats are called cryptorchid and a more extensive surgery will be required to locate the testicles and remove them. If these testicles are not removed they will continue to produce hormones and the behavior problems associated with intact male cats. Vasectomies are not performed in cats. It is both sterilization and removal of the male hormones that provide the behavioral benefits.

What are the benefits of neutering?
Population control
Millions of cats are destroyed across North America each year because there are far more cats born than homes available.

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