Spaying

[Millys Mum]

Unneutered toms do get the jowly fat head look, doesnt affect the body size tho 

as they can no longer gain access they seem to be spraying over the top of the fence

What an amusing image 

[Desley (booktigger)]

Sadly yes Ela, I do wish they would all follow guidelines - my vet does, but the receptionist doesn't always tell you that.

[Ela]

well, I think 4 personally

That is now the recommendation of Cats Protection, but as you know many vets insist on waiting until 6 months.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I think the only growth that is affected in males and dont know about females is the size of their head and neck.

Misa has an enormous body but very small head which I think indicates that he was neutered young. If you see an unneutered adult tom they usuaually seem to have bigger heads and necks.

[barney]

Well there will be no unplanned kittens in this house again, not unless Barney has an overnight miracle and grows what he's already had chopped off. I do however think young Spangles is either in season now or is about to as some of the locals are appearing on top of the fencing, as they can no longer gain access they seem to be spraying over the top of the fence. So at the moment she is confined to being indoors until I get her back to the vets..

[blackcat]

having an unplanned litter of kittens is far more likely to affect growth than spaying at 6 months. My Sofie, a burmese, was spayed at 9 months and just kept on growing and growing and growing. All of mine (and there have been many) have been done at 6 months or so apart from her, and they too have grown normally.

[Desley (booktigger)]

Yep, that was the Winn Foundation link I posted MM.
Spaying doesn't affect their growth, all cats are different. I have 4 females in the house, ranging from 2.5kg up to 3.7kg. Females do tend to be smaller than males though. Spaying at 6 months (well, I think 4 personally) can have health benefits when it comes to mammary cancer - if you spay them before their first season (which can happen as young as 4 months), then they are 200 times less likely to develop it.

[Millys Mum]

Similar topic came up last week, il find the link.

I read a study that measured bone growth in cats that were neutered early, neutered at 6 months and those left entire. It didnt change how the cats developed 

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

Spaying shouldn't effect their growth - it takes 3 sometimes 4+ years for a cat to reach their full size.

Some cats are small, some aren't.

We have two girls who are about the same size but look very tiny indeed compared to my boy cat.

Totally agree.

Cats come in all shapes and sizes, spaying/neutering should change the size they are going to be

[Sabrina (Auferstehen)]

Spaying shouldn't effect their growth - it takes 3 sometimes 4+ years for a cat to reach their full size.

Some cats are small, some aren't.

We have two girls who are about the same size but look very tiny indeed compared to my boy cat.

[barney]

Might be a stupid question but does/can spaying a female cat at 6 months effect their natural growth rate? The reason I ask is young Spangles will soon  be due, she had a kitten pack purchased when I got her so it's already been paid for along with the chip. Bigears who I also got as a kitten is now 2 and was spayed at 6months is no larger than the day she had it done and the same goes for Toffee both female.  Where as Barney  who was neutered the same time as Toffee is what I would call a normal size cat. Mollie their mother is again what I would call a normal size cat. Or am I barking up the wrong tree??