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PostPosted: Wed Feb 28, 2018 4:49 pm 
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Bengal Kitten

Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2018 5:30 pm
Posts: 6
Hello again!
We've just found out that our newly adopted girl Ozzie ... is in fact a boy! (So glad we didn't choose an overly feminine name!!)
Ozzy is 10 weeks (half Bengal/half Balinese) and he will need to be neutered. Had a look around online at when is the best time to do this and there are so many differing options. We had him vet checked yesterday and the vet said between 5 and 6 months, but I do worry about spraying.
(We've had a girl cat before, but Ozzy is our first boy!).
Any advice, tips or resources would be wonderful.
Thanks!
Ashley


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 28, 2018 5:26 pm 
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Asian Leopard Cat

Joined: Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm
Posts: 9217
Kittens can be spayed or neutered at 12 weeks. Many breeders do that to ensure their kittens do not reproduce. Some vets will not do surgery at that young age. It is always best to have it done before sexual maturity which for males can occur by 6 months -- but usually a little later.

Do not assume that Ozzy will never spray. My bengal was neutered at 12 weeks and sprays heavily, Of course, his previous owner allowed him to roam the neighborhood and his territorial instincts returned. If you keep Ozzy inside with no contact with other cats, you may forego the usual marking. But, don't count on it completely. Mine sprays on our daily walks -- and I do them to ensure the he sprays the bushes and not the inside of my house, but unfortunately, he still will spray in the house at times.

Check with your vet and see when they feel the optimum time is to neuter and have it done.

Honestly -- how does one not distinguish between a male and female kitten? Most breeders can tell right after birth. It's not a huge mystery! LOL.


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 28, 2018 5:52 pm 
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Senior Bengal
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Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2018 7:31 pm
Posts: 63
My vet by their policy won't spay/neuter before the age of 6 months. I have heard of it being done as young as 12 weeks but I'm not sure which is better or why. The only explanation I received was that before the age of 6 months the anesthetic has a higher chance of causing complications. From what I understand from researching is that it is still relatively new advances in anesthetic that allows for it to be done earlier so it really comes down to your vet. From what I recall of anesthetics is that the amount is based on body mass, so if a cat weighs 4x as much, it is 4x more tolerant of a dosage being off a little.


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PostPosted: Sat Mar 03, 2018 5:07 pm 
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Asian Leopard Cat

Joined: Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm
Posts: 9217
All veterinarians require a minimum weight before spaying or neutering a kitten. Most breeders have their kittens fixed -- by 12 weeks. It saves on the paperwork as most breeders will withhold registration papers until the kitten is fixed -- and by then, some breeders are gone or the owner never gets the papers. It just makes it easier for the breeder to send the papers with the kitten when the owner takes them -- and if it is done before hand, the owner doesn't have to deal with it later. However, there are some vets who are adamant about waiting. Six months is a little long to wait as sexual maturity and heat cycles come into play. Generally, I'd think four months is the optimum time to take care of fixing a kitty.


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PostPosted: Mon Mar 05, 2018 4:11 pm 
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Asian Leopard Cat

Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2015 6:48 pm
Posts: 276
It can be oddly difficult to sex type kittens early on. I've never understood it either but I'm not the one that has to do it . :biggrin:


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PostPosted: Mon Mar 05, 2018 4:27 pm 
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Asian Leopard Cat

Joined: Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm
Posts: 9217
There have definitely been mistakes made -- one member here was having problems registering the kitten because the sex was listed wrong on the litter. I follow a lot of breeders' Facebook pages and they announce a litter and immediately list the number of males and females. I'm guessing they know what they are talking about. LOL. I was always told the male has a colon and the female has the upside down exclamation point.


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