MALE OR FEMALE ?

Delicate choice or preference .............. Contraception or sterilization ?

But what is it really ?

in the case of a FEMALE

The first question to ask is to know whether you wish her to reproduce and this for which reasons. You will have to weigh the pros and the cons, and then act with free knowledge. If you do not your female to have kittens, it is desirable to carry out sterilization (ovariectomy practised by a veterinary surgeon) before the age of puberty (6 – 7 months). The belief that a female cat “must” at least once carry a litter for her well-being is totally informed. A she-cat does not need absolutely, for its general balance, to have once of the kittens in its life.
Medical contraception (by injection or pills) is not in any manner a good method of sterilization if the she-cat is not intended to have kittens in the future. In fact, the contraceptive hormones, if they act indeed on heats by removing them, do not have an action on the various hormonal problems related to the presence of ovaries. Furthermore the hormonal disordered states can involve more serious diseases. Here a link on this subject: contraception


A whole she-cat (not operated)  will periodically  have periods of heats: she will behaves quite different than usually. Indeed, during these periods, the females rub on the pieces of furniture and have a quasi strident and unpleasant mewing. A Siamese she-cat can be regarded as nymphomaniac ! It is not rare that the periods of hunting are rather close and that they last from 5 to 8 days.

If you choice to let your she-cat be :
In period of hunting, she will run away several days while generally returning exhausted, covered with chips … and enclosure ! And this in the best of cases !!!! Because  it is always possible she makes bad meetings and following brawls, it is wounded risking an ignition or an abscess. And of course, without forgetting the important risk of road accident.
Two viral diseases can be highlighted : cat leucosis and the cat’s AIDS, that can be contracted following contacts between cats such as brawls or copulation. These diseases are more frequent among the whole cats than among the sterilized cats.

It was proven that a permanent secretion of sex hormones or a disordered state in the secretion of these hormones is at the origin of certain diseases in the adult she-cat. These diseases are generally localised with the reproductive apparatus, but they can reach the whole organization sometimes.
While having the ovaries remover your she-cat, you will remove the glands which secrete these sex hormones and will decrease in an important way the risk of appearance of these diseases.
They are, in particular, cysts or ovarian tumours, as well as mammary tumours.

A sterilized she-cat  will be very cuddly, affectionate and " purring ". Do not necessarily believe than an operated she-cat remains calm in its corner, awaiting your return or you calling her. A sterilized Siamese she-cat remains a Siamese she-cat ! Its temperament, less absconder, will not be that much affected.
It is however somehow expected that sterilization will require to lesser energy. The 2 to 3 months which follows the operation are crucial. It is at this period that your female is likely to gain weight. Consequently, it is thus necessary to reduce its caloric intake, either by decreasing its volume of croquettes day by intake, or by giving her a reduced food.
An obese cat might have cardiac, articular, and cutaneous problems.

in the case of a MALE

As of the age from 6 to 7 months, the small male becomes pubescent. The testicles produce the spermatozoa but also sex hormones of which testosterone, responsible for the whole-male’s behaviour.  If your male is not intended to be a stud cat, it is advised to have it castrated at the age of 6 months, before its puberty. It will not be unhappy and will have a higher life expectancy. Its behaviour will be closer to its Master and thus less independent. To sterilize a male cat especially if it goes outside, also makes it possible to limit the proliferation of the cats which poses many problems. Each year, many kittens are abandoned because they do not find a Master.

A whole male (not operated)  cat is very territorial. He will limit its territory by a urinary marking, jets of urines. The urine of a whole male has a very strong odour that is difficult to mask. Marking will impregnate your walls and pieces of furniture. If your cat leaves, he will tend to mark the trees, the shrubs, and any place on his territory. He will keep in memory each place, and will return there, regularly. Marking increases to a significant degree in the vicinity of a she-cat in heat. If your whole cat lives in apartment but he felt the presence of a female in heat, his mewing is noisy and cause nuisance. There is another style of marking there is scratches. The cat will attack your pieces of furniture, carpet, walls, ground, or with the trees of the garden. When a cat took the practice of marking at certain places of your residence, this rite remains and is very difficult to correct.

The whole males spend much time outside to drive out, fighting with their congener, and following the females in heats. During reproduction  periods, the risk of road accident increase. Fights between cats cause bites and scratches. These wounds frequently evolve/turn into abscess and require a visit to the veterinary surgeon. Two viral diseases of the cat are transmitted at the time of contact between cats and more particularly at the time of bites : Leucosis (FeLV) and the AIDS of cat (FIV). These diseases are fatal. It is possible to vaccinate your cat against leucosis but not against the AIDS of the cat.
If you to decide to make castrate an already adult cat, it should be known that he will have already taken bad habits (marking, running away, brawls). These bad habits will be attenuated but they will not disappear completely.
The life expectancy of the whole cat is on average shorter than that of the castrated cat.

A castrated  male the castrated cat has a territory often smaller compared to the whole male : his territory is limited to the house and garden, and his character is more familiar, softer. He will be much more affectionate towards his Master.
A castrated cat has less energy needs than a whole male. In addition, he is less active, especially if he lives in an apartment. The gain of weight occurs 2 to 3 months after castration.
It is thus necessary to restrict his caloric intake, either by decreasing the quantity of distributed food, or by giving him a food reduced in calories per days which follow his castration. If you reduce his energy intake, your cat will remain slender and active and it will not suffer from the complications due to obesity like diabetes, cardiac, and articular problems. To avoid urinary disorders, you must check that your cat drinks and urinates sufficiently. A food of good quality prevents the appearance of urinary calculations by eating a balance of minerals such as phosphates.

In particular, do not forget :

That we saw being born your kitten, that we nourish him/her with milk.
That we cherished and pampered him/her. He has received many kisses.
That we obtain affectionate, completely balanced kittens, superb, and admirably seducing.
And when it is your choice, male or female, we can guarantee that your future kitten will have character cuddly, “pot de colle”, player, and will be a little mischievous.
Thus trust me with the know-how. Take my many advices because I shall be attentive to the growth and happiness of your cat.