Importance of Early Spay/Neuter | PAWS Chicago

Importance of Early Spay/Neuter

An easier experience for your animal.

Cats and dogs can get pregnant much earlier than people think.

Cats can have their first heat as early as 4 months old; dogs as early as 5 months old. Cats can have as many as three litters a year. Dogs can have two litters a year. It’s easy to see how this is an exponential problem.

Spay/neuter can be performed on puppies and kittens when they are as young as 8 weeks old.

This may seem early, but it’s completely safe. In fact, surgeries are easier to perform on younger animals. They require less anesthesia, and the recovery time is faster.

Plus, the sooner spay/neuter occurs, the sooner problems like spraying, roaming and fighting are eliminated.