This is probably been posted before somewhere but- what is the best age to neuter a MC. We were told to wait until 8 months by the breeder, but the vet said it would have been ok to neuter at 6 months.
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This is probably been posted before somewhere but- what is the best age to neuter a MC. We were told to wait until 8 months by the breeder, but the vet said it would have been ok to neuter at 6 months.
Marshall just got neutered 2 weeks ago at 6months old the vet said it was perfect time for him as he was a good weight and size and would cope better with it the younger he was, breeders just recommended before 1year old. Marshall was starting to get fiesty and rough during play so I felt it was a good time. The sane night he was galavanting around the house didn't phase him at all!Quote:
Originally Posted by Felix65
Max was neutered at 6 months and suffered no ill effects. He was the same as Marshall - went to the vet in the morning and was full of beans when he came home later that day. I didn't want to delay in case he started to get rough with Sophie and I was also concerned that he might get territorial and start to spray.
Same here - 6 months. Vet just needed to check he was 'big enough' (no worries on that front!) and as the others have said, he was back to himself on the evening. He just had to go through the indignity of a check up a week later and hissing from his 2 sisters (they were spayed at the same time and didn't want anything to do with him for a day) and all was fine
Casco was done yesterday, at just over 7 months.
His breeder suggested leaving it until 8/9 months to give him chance to develop a more ‘adult’ MC face. But like Marshall, Casco stated to get a bit rough during play so it seemed like the right time. Plus he was getting VERY vocal!
This is an interesting thread;
http://www.maine-coon-forum.info/hea...ine-coons.html
Edited - The vet said yesterday that post 12 weeks the risk with general anesthetic increases as the cat gets older. Quite interesting.
I have worked at a vets for 40 years & been involved with the anaesthetics nearly as long & must have been very very lucky as the only time I can say that the "risk" is /was higher with an older cat is when they have serious health problems but the need for an anaesthetic outweighs that risk,I have never known one to be lost through routine castration & only one through spaying,the little girls heart stopped right in the middle of the op although her pre op check had seemed ok & a PM discovered that she had HCM & chances were that was the contributing factor,she was not a MC but a little domestic cat .... All anaesthetics are a risk wether for routine or life saving but with the anaesthetics our vets use for routine ops on cats within the hour they are sitting up wondering why they are with us & are very safe,but you can always get one as that little girl proved.......
Mine were all done at 8 months, as we were advised to delay it for growth reasons like Sketches says above.
But I think I should have done Herbie sooner as he was an early developer and started getting premature 'urges' shall we say, which freaked out Larry and Monty a bit. When the vet did the op, she said he was so 'big' that she had to put 'extra glue' on the wound, eewwww.
Whiskey was done 2 weeks after his 6 month b'day. The vet said his testicles were fully descended & he was at a good age to be neutered. Of course he lived up to his name & drove everyone (at the vet's office) to drink. The office called me about 1 hour after he was awake to tell me to come & get him. He was full of energy, meowing, shaking his cage, biting the cage, etc. They were afraid he'd hurt himself & he was disturbing the other animals. I had the flashbacks to the feeling of having a child at school & the principal calling to say "come get your son he's being disruptive in class". I was told Whiskey would probably sleep it off when he got home, but not our boy. He was playful as ever and has been ever since. He is now 1yr-3mos old, happy, & healthy.
My three were done at 8 months. The previous couple of weeks the litter tray had started to smell a little to, er, masculine. The nurses wanted to keep them as they were so well behaved I was told :)
I have been trawling the internet trying to find an answer specific to maine coons, but nothing. Roark (as advised by his breeder and vet) could be neutered from four months and I decided to do it at five months because it felt like the right age for him (he was getting more aggressive) and I also did not want him to pick up a spraying and roaming habit from the other cats in our neighbourhood.
He hardly even felt the operation and came home and was eating and playing that same day. I have noticed however that Roark still has his kitten face (he is now ten months old) and while I initially thought he would just grow an adult face, I am starting to think it may be as a result of the early neuter. I know maine coons are slow to develop so I guess I will just have to wait and see and there is a strong liklihood that I am paranoid. I think though that in hindsight I would have waited unti about eight months.
Here are some pictures of Roark- please tell me if I am being paranoid!
Attachment 6120Attachment 6121
They take so long to mature that really until Roark is 4yrs old you will have no way of knowing,it is surprising how the face can change right at the last minute.
I am of the school get them done later but then I have one that I did have done at 6 months & he "has" kept a baby face & doesn't go with his body at all so will always be left wondering, all my other boys have been done later but looking at Roark's photo I would say all looks in proportion at this stage & in MC growth times he is still a babe......x
I also have a question about neuturing. I got my MC at 13 weeks, and the breeder who I got him from (who is a vet) urged me to get him done asap, preferably before he is 4 months! He is now 5 months and has started spraying a lot and is very fiesty with my other kitty. He has also become very strong smelling. Any advice would be greatful :)
Quote:
Originally Posted by EdenG
With behaviour like that you really only have one way to go,get him done,I was lucky with mine they never sprayed or smelt strong even though the last two boys were not done until they were over a year old & one other was coming up to nine months,Merl would have kept his bits longer too if he hadn't thought everything was fair game for him to grab by the neck & hop on but he still didn't smell or spray which is why I feel guilty now about not trying to leave him longer & will always be left wondering,your boy is obviously trying to be top cat over your other kitty which is a shame but this is reason enough for having to go for it I would say....x
Thank you for the reply, I have since contacted my vet and booked him in to be neutered. Hopefully, this will solve the problems *fingers crossed* x
Oh bless him....x
i had both of mine done just short of 6 months old ( a week before a show ) how mad was that ! they are now 15 months and the red is starting to look like a MC but the tabby is still kitteny , i think it has something to do with the white on the face and the round eyes he has , think he will always look like my baby lol
