Neutering Cats

Female
Neutering a female cat or queen is known as “spaying” and can be done from 5 months of age. The procedure is traditionally carried out on the flank (side) and involves the surgical removal of both ovaries, uterus and cervix (where possible).
If a cat isn’t spayed they come into season or “call” approximately every 3 weeks during their breeding season, which runs from April-October, although it is possible for them to get pregnant at other times of the year. A cat’s season is often characterized by lordosis (arching of the back) and “calling”, a high pitched meow beckoning potential mates to her. The cat is unusual in that she is an “induced ovulator”, which means that every time she is mated an egg is released making pregnancy more likely.

Spaying also eliminates some risks and reduces others such as:
Unwanted pregnancy
Pyometra (infected womb)
Straying to look for a mate
Diseases associated with mating such as leukaemia and aids
Calling and associated annoyances
Road traffic accidents due to looking for a mate

Male
Castration is the term used for neutering a male cat, again from 5 months of age and involves the surgical removal of both testicles through the scrotum.

An un-neutered tom (male ) cat is more likely to:
Stray looking for a mate
Become involved in territorial fighting
Spray—use urine as a territorial marker
Contract leukaemia or aids through fighting or mating
Be involved in road traffic accidents through looking for a mate.