Desexing is a surgical procedure performed by a veterinarian to remove an animal’s reproductive organs and prevent them from breeding. In females, the operation is called ‘spey’ and for males, it’s called ‘castration’, but the procedure is often referred to by many names including ‘neuter’ and ‘sterilisation’.
At RSPCA NSW, it’s our job to continue to advocate for the health, safety, and protection of all creatures, great and small, and desexing our pets is a really great way to tick all three boxes in one go.
If you need help accessing affordable desexing services for your pet, our list of available assistance programs can help you locate the support you need.
Desexing is a surgical procedure performed by a veterinarian to remove an animal’s reproductive organs and prevent them from breeding. In females, the operation is called ‘spey’ and for males, it’s called ‘castration’, but the procedure is often referred to by many names including ‘neuter’ and ‘sterilisation’.
Desexing is a simple and highly effective way to prevent unwanted or unplanned litters. Every year, thousands of animals find themselves without homes due to uncontrolled breeding, placing immense pressure on shelters and rescue groups. By desexing your pet, you help break this cycle, improving animal welfare and contributing to a more compassionate and responsible community.
Beyond population control, desexing offers several health benefits for pets. It can greatly reduce the risk of certain cancers and reproductive-related diseases, which are more common in animals that haven’t been desexed. Female animals are less likely to develop uterine infections and mammary cancer, while desexed males have a significantly reduced risk of prostate disease and testicular cancer.
Desexing can also have a positive impact on your pet’s behaviour. Animals that are desexed are often calmer and more focused. They are less likely to roam in search of a mate, which reduces their risk of being injured, lost, or involved in fights. Desexed pets are also less prone to territorial aggression and undesirable behaviours such as spraying or marking.
Overall, desexing is not only an important step for individual pet owners but a collective responsibility for creating healthier and happier lives for our pets. By desexing, you are protecting your pet’s health, improving their quality of life, and helping to reduce the number of animals that end up homeless or in shelters.
A desexed cat or dog is generally a healthier and happier pet. They will also tend to avoid health problems associated with breeding, including mammary tumours, ovarian cancer, and uterine infections. Furthermore, desexed animals are also less inclined to roam, which means they’re less likely to be injured by a car or another roaming animal.
As an animal guardian, desexing your pet will make caring for your pet easier to manage! Typically, desexed pets won’t display behaviours associated with animals ‘in heat’, such as humping, scent marking, excessive howling, and discharge. They are often less aggressive too, making them easier to manage and possibly resulting in them engaging in fewer altercations with other animals and household pets.
Did you know that an undesexed kitten can fall pregnant as young as four months old? In just two years, one undesexed cat can contribute to the birth of 20,000 kittens, making sterilisation an important part of managing animal overpopulation. Not only is overpopulation a concern for the welfare and safety of roaming animals, it is also a concern for our local wildlife too.
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As the leading animal welfare organisation in NSW, we strongly urge pet owners to have their animal companions desexed. As a pet owner, you are responsible for booking the earliest possible appointment, following veterinary approval for the procedure to go ahead.
The appropriate timing and approach for desexing a companion animal will depend on their species, medical condition, and any surrounding local legal requirements. Your veterinarian can advise on the benefits and risks associated with desexing your forever friend and will outline the most appropriate course of action.
The age for sterilisation may vary between pets due to differences in species and any preexisting health conditions. Moreover, some individual animals are more at risk of developing an illness or encountering a medical complication as a result of undergoing surgery. Discuss your pet’s individual circumstances with your veterinarian before making an appointment to have your animal desexed.
Although we urge all pet owners to arrange to have their animals desexed, it may not always be appropriate to sterilise your pet. Consult a qualified veterinarian before desexing your animal companion but remember that the procedure should be carried out under veterinary supervision as early as possible.
Once you’ve received confirmation that it is safe to desex your pet, you can book an appointment with a veterinarian or veterinary hospital. Note that the cost of this procedure may vary depending on factors like your animal’s species, weight, and breed.
If you need financial assistance with having your animal companion desexed, we run several support initiatives you might want to check out. For example, RSPCA NSW Veterinary Hospitals offer a 10% discount on all services (including desexing) for Seniors Card holders. You can also apply for low-cost desexing with the National Desexing Network.
If you’re caring for kittens who are not nursing, you’ll need to feed them special kitten formula four times a day. Please note that this is different to supermarket-purchased ‘kitten milk’. When your kittens are approximately six weeks old, they can then be weaned onto solid dry or tinned kitten food. You’ll need to feed them this three times daily until they are 10 months old.
Once your kitten is 10 months old, you’ll need to feed them either once or twice a day (depending on their energy levels) so they can continue to maintain a healthy weight.
Remember that cats are obligate carnivores and need a balanced, high-protein diet to stay healthy. You will need to ensure your kittens:
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