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When To Spay or Neuter A Dog Or Cat

Wondering when to get your pet spayed/neutered? Learn more about the process and the optimal age to get your pet fixed.

What is the best age to fix a puppy or kitten? Ask ten people, and you may get ten different answers! Those of us in the animal sheltering and rescue world usually recommend early-age spay/neuter at 8 weeks of age, or as soon as possible after that. Promoting early-age spay neuter is part of the social responsibility we feel to do all we can to reduce 5,000 dogs and cats euthanized in animal shelters every day. We see the number of puppies and kittens barely 6 months old that come to shelters, suffering from such an early pregnancy. Decades ago, when many vets were receiving their education, 6 months old was the randomly recommended age for fixing a dog or cat – you read that correctly, the 6 month old recommendation is based on clinical sentiment, not than scientific studies!

On the other end of the spectrum, you have pet owners who mistakenly think it is better for a female dog or cat to have one heat – or even one litter – before being spayed, or don’t believe in spaying in neutering at all. They believe this myths in spite of vets and scientific organizations supporting the benefits and safety of early-age spay/neuter. To clarify: Early-age spay/neuter includes both pediatric surgery which happens at 6 weeks to 16 weeks, and spay/neuter done before 5 months of age. Early-age spay/neuter is endorsed by the the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), the Association of Shelter Veterinarians (ASV), and the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) among others.

To encourage veterinarians to educate pet owners about the benefits, the Clinicians Brief is promoting a wonderful campaign, Five-Saves-Lives. “Five-Saves-Lives, or Spay Before Five Months (Spay B4V) is a national spay/neuter public awareness campaign that strives to prevent unintended litters by reducing the routine spay/neuter age to 4 to 5 months in private practices.” They remind us, “Both cats and small-breed dogs can go into estrus with pregnancy risk before 6 months of age, but rarely before 5 months of age… Five-Saves-Lives promotes the addition of a spay/neuter appointment between 4 and 5 months of age. As with pediatric spay/neuter, the procedures are faster and easier, and patients recover more quickly with fewer complications…” Plus female pets never become pregnant, and male pets do not develop undesirable sexual behaviors!

We encourage caring pet owners to share this information with their vet, who may not be aware of Five-Save-Lives. You and they can help more pet owners make a compassionate decision about the age to spay or neuter that is best not just for their pet, but for the pets in their community too.

Click like if…

Tired of Facebook status updates about going to the gym or pictures of someone else’s lunch? Have we got a Facebook page for you! Click the “like” button on the Adopt-a-Pet.com Facebook page and then make sure you click the like button again to get the hidden menu! (Click “more” at the end of this paragraph to see a screenshot of how the menu appears when it is unhidden, below.) On the like button menu you can select “All Updates” so that all the wonderful photos of our Five O’Clock Cuteness pets for adoption, and our motivational and fun message images similar to the one you see here on the bulletin board, will fill your Facebook newsfeed with adoption and pet-loving happiness!

Why Does My Cat Bite Me? Understanding Cat Behavior

Does your new cat like to bite? Learn more about aggressive biting and what you can do to change their behavior.

Cat bites are not fun! This article is to help you with knowledge and tips for avoiding future cat bites from your pet cat. If you are reading this because you just got bitten by a cat, please know this is not an article about the medical care you may need. Instead, please go immediately to our “Cat bites are serious!” article right away! If you have a feisty young kitten (under 6 to 7 months old) who is play biting you, so not inflicting hard skin-puncturing bites, we suggest you first read our Is your kitten biting you or playing too rough? article. However, if you are here because your tame, usually friendly cat has suddenly tried to bite you, possibly more than once, and would like some tips to avoid being bitten, you’re in the right place! Read on…

Tame adult pet cats bite people for many reasons. The three most common reasons for indoor cats are overstimulation, fear, and anger/stress. Less common reasons are maternal, status, redirected, disease, or pain. It can be just one of those reasons, but sometimes is a combination of two or more. Understanding the causes can help you remove or counteract them, and reduce the chances of being bitten. However, figuring out what a cat is feeling is no easy task! This article isn’t a comprehensive guide to why cats bite, but can give you some tools to increase your understanding and reduce a cat’s biting. We highly recommend working with a professional cat behaviorist in addition to reading this article.

Below are examples of the three most common reasons cats bite, followed by what to do tips for each reason. Below that, we suggest one better way you can react the moment your cat tries to bite you, and finally one way to positively reward good behavior to further reduce biting behavior.

Overstimulation. Often a cat who enjoys being pet, but then suddenly bites.
Fear. Examples include a cat that bites when picked up, when restrained (like for having his nails trimmed), or when woken suddenly.
Anger/stress. Most commonly from territory changes or challenges, changes in their routine, or illness, but can be from other causes too.

If your cat bites you because he is overstimulated, you will need to try to learn what causes him to be overstimulated, and at what point the overstimulation causes a bite, then carefully avoid approaching his limits. So if your cat bites you after you’ve pet him five times, you may only be able to pet your cat one or two strokes. If he gets wound up after 5 minutes of playing with a toy on a string, you may be only able to play for 1 minute. This seems simple, but when your cat is acting affectionate or having fun, stopping can be really hard! Some cats will tolerate neck scratches without biting, but will bite if their back is pet.

Each cat is an individual, so you’ll need to carefully determine his individual limits. Closely observe your cat for any pre-bite warning signs – such as tail swishing, ears going back flat, body stiffness, growling/hissing, pupils dilating – and stop whatever activity you or he are doing immediately. You’ll also have to make sure all other humans that come in contact with your cat obey the limits you determine. Often “don’t pet the cat” is easier for other people to understand and abide than “only pet him three times” or “only scratch his neck.” Give visitors a feather toy on a string to let them play with your cat safely that way instead.

If your cat bites you due to fear, you will need to do you best to avoid fearful situations for your cat. Declawed cats often bite out of fear, having had their first line of defense removed (yet another reason never to declaw a cat). Fear biters can be challenging when it comes to nail trimming, so you may need the help of a professional groomer or vet tech to learn how to humanely, safely, and in the least-stressful way possible restrain your cat and trim their nails. If your cat likes treats or canned food, rewarding him after the fearful experience can sometimes make him forget more quickly the fearful experience he had to endure for his own health.

If your cat bites due to anger/stress, you probably have some detective work to do to figure out all the causes, then see how much you can reduce or remove them. Often you can’t do much directly, like if a new barky dog moves in next door. Creative thinking helps! Sometimes confining the cat to a small room such as a quite bedroom or bathroom for some or even all of the day for a few weeks can let them get used to the new situation more slowly, on their terms, which could be less stressful. But some cats are more stressed out being locked in a room. Each situation is so unique, if your cat is biting you because of anger/stress, we highly recommend consulting with a professional certified cat behaviorist.

Why a behaviorist and not your vet? It is rare for a regular vet to have a degree in feline behavioral medicine. According to the American Association of Feline Practitioners, “most veterinarians never received education in veterinary school about feline behavior, and do not have the time and resources to study all the latest research and develop behavior protocols.” However, don’t hesitate to ask your regular vet for a recommendation of a certified cat behaviorist. A good behaviorist will often work closely with their clients’ veterinarians, especially if anti-anxiety medication is indicated, and to rule out any possible underlying medical causes.

HOW TO REACT IF YOUR CAT TRIES TO BITE YOU

The best way we’ve found to react to a cat who’s tried to bite you, no matter what the cause, is to calmly back away from the cat. (Sometimes upset cats will go after your ankles if you move quickly, or turn your back to walk away.) Leave the room, or if you live in a studio or loft leave your home, shut the door behind you, and give the cat a time-out alone for 5 minutes. If you are upset, take the time to calm down and forgive your cat, so you can re-enter as if nothing untoward has happened.

HOW TO REWARD GOOD BEHAVIOR

Does your cat like treats? Canned food? Playing with a toy? If your cat is an overstimulated biter, and let you pet him for his allotted time with no bites, you can reward him with his favorite treat, food, or game. Rewards are building blocks for long-term, positive behavior.

*IMPORTANT: Never respond to a cat biting you with a physical reprimand or punishment. PUNISHMENT WILL MAKE YOUR SITUATION WORSE. Cats respond to negativity with negativity. If your cat bites and you “tap” his nose, forcefully push him away, yell, squirt him with a water bottle, or respond with any other negative punishment, you almost guarantee the cat will try to bite you again, and likely try harder – or become scared and avoid you and a broken trust bond with a cat is very hard to repair.

We hope this article helps you with your biting cat!

Are You On Instagram?

Adopt-a-Pet.com has officially joined the Instagram community and we can’t wait to see your best pet pics and share ours with you! We’ve posted 46 photos so far, and we’re just getting started. We’d love for you to follow us here: @AdoptaPetcom and we’re looking forward to following others who are passionate about helping pets get adopted too!

Action-Packed Puppy Rescue Leads to Action-Packed Puppy Cam

What’s better than a puppy cam, you ask? How about a puppy cam where the stars of the show have a rescue story that reads more like the plot of an action film? That’s exactly what you’ll find when you check out this live-stream of Luke, Elliot, Raven, and Logan – 4 precious adoptable pups who are named after the X-Men super heroes because they had somewhat of a super hero rescue! You can check out the live stream and read their amazing rescue story!

Happy Beginnings: Gimzo

I’ve been fostering dogs and cats for 15 years, and Gizmo is my first “foster awesome” dog! Foster awesome is a rebranding of the commonly used phrase “foster failure” – when a foster volunteer adopts the pet they are fostering. Eight months ago I wasn’t intending on adopting another dog, much less fostering one. That day I went to the shelter to pick up two new foster cats that I’d seen on Adopt-a-Pet.com. One of the shelter staff, who knows me well, saw me walk in and asked, “Any ideas of a rescue who could help save a little senior dog who’s time is up? His name is Gizmo.” His shelter intake photo was a tiny black blob. Thinking I’d take some photos and a video for the shelter to add to his Adopt-a-Pet.com listing so adopters could get a better look at him, I went back to meet the little old man. He looked more like a skinny mini opossum than a Long Haired Chihuahua! His black fur was missing all along his back and tail, and he was so shy, the staff told me he mostly just sat in the darkest corner of his kennel. No wonder he wasn’t getting noticed in a shelter crowded with other small dogs! As we stood talking, Gizmo did an army crawl out from behind the desk and tried to hide behind my boot. I found myself saying, “Let me see what I can do.” What I could do was ask a local rescue if I could foster him, and fortunately they could say yes!

Gizmo had been brought to the shelter by his elderly person who could no longer care for him. He was malnourished and severely underweight, in part due to how badly they’d let his teeth go, which had made it painful for him to eat. He had most of his teeth extracted, so his tongue often pokes out, adding to his lopsided-ears and gray-muzzle adorableness. We thought his hair loss, inflamed skin and itching were due to simple untreated flea allergies… but after a weeks excellent regular vet care, flea prevention, and nutrition, when the little guy started breaking out in itchy welts that looked like hives, the rescue’s vet recommended we see a specialist.

I’ve fostered dozens of dogs from the shelter, and this was the first time I took one in that needed more vet care than I’d expected. Fortunately, the rescue’s founder knew of a wonderful dog dermatologist. After many tests, the dermatologist diagnosed that Gizmo’s untreated allergies and poor care had trashed his immune system and thyroid – well, he didn’t say exactly that, but that’s my layperson’s translation of his medical findings! It took several months of food and treatment trials, but we finally figured out what diet, medications, and bathing schedule brings the poor little guy some relief.

After eight months of nursing Gizmo back to health, and watching his transformation, I couldn’t bear the thought of letting him go. Gizmo still has some paw itching that require topical treatment and twice weekly rinses, and he’ll be on thyroid pills the rest of his life, but now his lush coat shines and he’s a super happy and quirky little guy! He’s won over my big grumpy dog, my bossy cats, my husband, and when no one is looking, I’ve even caught him racing around in joyful circles, barking at a toy!

Thanks Adopt-a-Pet.com for leading me (if indirectly!) to Gizmo, and his forever home.

Take our survey: Is having a pet good for your health?

Is Having Pets Good for Your Health? It’s a pretty interesting question and we want to hear your opinions about this interesting topic! How does having pets impact your health? Take our quick nine-question survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2M57C3D and let us know how many pets you have currently, (it’s okay if you don’t have any right now), rate the impact pet ownership has had on your health, the kind of activities you and your pet enjoy together, and more. We’ll share the results of the survey in a future post here on the Adopt-a-Pet.com blog too!

Happy Beginnings: Lilly

We loving sharing Happy Beginnings stories about happily adopted pets, and here’s a lovely one about Lilly… “I adopted Lilly, a pure-bred 18-month-old Standard Poodle, through your site in September of 2008. I had been actively searching for a poodle to rescue for a couple of years. I made a 650 mile round-trip from Lubbock, Texas to Weatherford, Oklahoma, between two very wet storms, leaving after work on Friday, and returning Saturday. I woke up several times Friday night, thinking the storm was causing flooding. I discovered my room was next to the run-off drain for the building! Raining, yes; flooding, no, thank goodness! Lilly and I had lots of time to bond in the car. I took a water dish, dog biscuits, towels, and a collar and leash. While she never slept on that trip, she didn’t try to wander into the front seats or cause any problems. We stopped several times, and she was shy with strangers, especially men. We were met at home by my daughter, who had just moved to her new home, and she called Lilly “Sweet Pea”. It stuck, and she’s still Sweet Pea to my daughter. We also introduced her to the cat, who allowed her to stay.

We’ve had almost five years together. I never could have hoped for a better dog! Other than the “counter-surfing” that Standard Poodles are known for, and ingesting some strange objects while she was still young, we haven’t had any issues. She is smart as a whip, and can learn a new command within minutes. She still doesn’t regularly respond to “come” or “stay”, but she knows what they mean! Everything else has been a piece of cake.

Since September 11 is the day I found her in my inbox, it’s kind of our anniversary. I’ve attached a picture of us in a field of flags in Lubbock last September 11.”

Thank you Darla for sharing your story, Lilly’s photo, and for adopting a pet! Did you find your newly adopted pet on Adopt-a-Pet.com? Email your story and photo to info@cms.adoptapet.com if you’d like to share your Happy Beginning and inspire others to adopt too!

Adopting a Dog with Megaesophagus

Megaesophagus is mouthful of a name for a rare condition that affects dogs, cats, and humans too! Those in the know refer to it as “ME” or “Mega E” and many are passionate about spreading the word to help pet owners and potential adopters understand that megaesophagus can be managed and dogs can lead fairly normal lives with ME. Sadie Mae is a shelter volunteer who is doing just that, and she’s documented her discoveries in a wonderful in-depth article here about her personal journey of ME discovery. “As a volunteer at various shelters, I had heard of this condition only once before and knew it had something to do with the esophagus and the digestion of food,” she writes. “After speaking with members of Megaesophagus Support Groups, I have learned a great deal about the condition, and I certainly do understand how overwhelming this condition, with possible underlying conditions and varying degrees of severity and symptoms, can be.” Read on to find out more about ME and see if you’re one of the compassionate adopters who are willing to incorporate the routine of a homeless Mega E Baby into your home!

So what is megaesophagus? “Megaesophagus refers to a syndrome in which the esophagus becomes weak and flaccid, and subsequently becomes much larger than normal, hence the term megaesophagus. Megaesophagus is diagnosed by taking radiographs (x-rays) of the chest,” says the Michigan Veterinary Specialists. A pet with ME needs the help of gravity to transport food to their stomach after they eat. They don’t throw up, but rather regurgitate their food before it reaches their stomach.

While for many pets there is no cure (see “Will it ever go away or be cured” in the veterinary publication here), there are proven management techniques that help many ME dogs and their owners enjoy long and happy lives together! A good DMV is key for proper diagnosis. Depending on the type and severity of the ME, they can help owners figure out if and which medications and surgery will help the most. One of the more popular – and quite adorable – techniques is the use of a “Bailey Chair” to help an ME pup stay upright. Above you can see a photo of adorable JellyBean sitting in his chair just chillin after his dinner! You can read more of Sadie’s stories and information in her in-depth article here.

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Pet meditation will make you happier

A compassionate pet person I know recently was pontificating about how amazing it was how much we enjoy having pets, despite the difficulties they can put us through with say, destroying our couch, or otherwise emptying our wallets. Pets provide us with so much joy and love, most pet owners will agree they are worth the occasional challenge a hundred times over! Obviously the love they give and enjoy receiving is a huge part of the connection we feel to the animals we tame and take care of as our own. There’s many reasons 60% of US households include pets, and why studies have shown pet owners reap health benefits including leading longer healthier lives. But as I was reading Ten Simple Things You Can Do to Be Happier, Backed by Science (looking for a mention of pets, and finding none) what caught my attention was the before and after mediation images of the brain, shared below. “Meditation literally clears your mind and calms you down, it’s been often proven to be the single most effective way to live a happier live.” Now try saying that sentence, replacing meditation with a favorite quiet activity with your pet…

For me, one would be, “Snuggling with cats and dogs literally clears your mind and calms you down, it’s been often proven to be the single most effective way to live a happier live.” I could just as easily say enjoying the sunset with my dog on the couch in the back yard, or brushing my foster cat till he flops over and shows me his bunny belly!

What kind of pet meditation do you enjoy? Click any of the icons below to share this article and how your pets help clear your mind with your friends and followers!