What Age Do Kittens Get Fixed
Kittens as young as 8 weeks old can be spayed or neutered although some veterinarians recommend the procedure be performed between 4 and 6 months of age according to the cat care clinic.
What age do kittens get fixed. Since the sensitive period for social learning is 3 to 8 weeks of age if possible it s best to keep the litter together along with appropriate human interaction brunt says. Brunt recommends that a kitten stay with her mother until at least 8 weeks of age. To avoid behavioral changes or issues from developing it s best to get your kitty fixed prior to puberty. Early or pediatric spay neuter is done at six to eight weeks of age.
Fixing a kitten at a younger age is pediatric neutering among the many veterinarians and organizations that endorse it is the american veterinary medical association. Learn what to do when you find kittens outdoors. Some vaccines might be given together in one injection that is called a combination vaccine. Kitten vaccines are usually first given at about six to eight weeks of age and repeated approximately every three weeks until about 16 to 18 weeks of age.
Two week old kitten care schedule. While you can have a kitten fixed as young as 6 weeks old the procedure is usually performed when your little one reaches 8 to 12 weeks of age. Orphans of this age should be bottle fed every 3 4 hours including overnight. Some experts suggest getting a kitten spayed or neutered when the cat is as young as two months old.
Learn more about kittens and their needs as they grow in our kitten guide. The pets are a good size the owners have already trained and accepted them and the anesthesia and surgery are usually safe. If you don t see her monitor the kittens from a distance for a few hours. As a vet who has done thousands of spays and neuters i still perform them at five months of age.
Before you do anything remember never separate kittens from their mother cat. Early surgery also prevents unwanted behaviors like urine marking from becoming a bad habit for your kitten. There are three general options. Kittens need to weigh at least 2 pounds before surgery according to web md.
There is some debate about when cats should be fixed. Modern veterinary science and medical practice have proven that the spay and neuter surgeries required to get cats fixed can be performed safely when a kitten reaches eight weeks of age or achieves. For girl kittens this prevents your little one from having to go through heat at all. Two week old kittens will also need to be stimulated to go to the bathroom.
Younger kittens may heal and bounce back more quickly than their older counterparts and no long term. Finally waiting until after the first heat somewhere between eight to twelve months of age he says. If their mother returns leave them be.