Get your cat neutered

Help prevent the unwanted cat population

Over the past few years the cat and kitten situation has boomed, with explosions of kittens every year. With more and more unwanted cats and kittens coming to us for re-homing all year round, we are finding it very difficult to control the Island's cat population.

Our aim to reduce the amount of unwanted animals, and the most effective and humane way to do this is through neutering. This photo may look cute but every year kittens like this one are abandoned or fall ill and end up at Cats Protection. Every cat that comes into our care is neutered or spayed (if not already done) amongst other vet treatments.

If you are on benefits or on low income we can offer vouchers to assist with the cost of neutering your cat. £20 for male cat and £26 for a female cat. Pop into Cats Protection with proof of benefit or low income (open daily 11am-3pm) and then arrange the operation with your own vet. Please ring 01983 562609 for more details. Please note these vouchers are non-transferable.

Benefits of Neutering

As well as reducing the amount of unwanted cats and kittens, neutering has many other benefits, and can prevent other problems such as diseases and fighting. There are many myths that circulate about neutering. To set the record straight, here are the facts:

• There are around 2.5 million stray cats living in the UK
• One un-neutered female cat can be responsible for 20,000 descendants in just five years
• Cats can become sexually active from just four months old
• It is not beneficial for a cat to have 'just one litter' before being spayed
• Gestation in cats (the length of pregnancy) is only nine weeks, and a female cat can come into season again just six weeks after giving birth
• Pregnancy and motherhood are physically very demanding for a cat. Repeated pregnancies take their toll.
• Cats will breed with their brothers and sisters
• A cat can have up to three litters a year with five or six kittens (sometimes more) in each litter. That adds up to at least 18 caring homes for Cats Protection to find each year, just for one cats kittens! 

Why neuter?

Neutering has many health benefits, as well as helping to reduce the number of unwanted cats in the UK. 
Neutered male cats are:

• Less likely to roam, reducing the risk of them being run over
• Less likely to fight, reducing the risk of them getting injured
• Less likely to contract serious diseases such as feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) or feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) through fighting.
• Less likely to display territorial behaviour such as spraying
• Unable to develop tumours of the testicles

Neutered female cats are:

• Unable to get pregnant and have unwanted litters of kittens
• Not going to call or wail, as un-neutered queens do when in season
• Less likely to contract diseases such as FIV or FeLV spread by bites
• Unable to develop cancer of the ovaries or uterus
• Less likely to develop mammary cancer-especially if neutered under the age of six months