Cat owners cited a number of reasons for not neutering or delaying neutering:

• 22% of the respondents believed it was cruel
• 4% feared it would change their pet’s personality
• Many respondents also believed that kittens couldn’t conceive until they were five to six months old.

Read the press release below

Cats Protection urges cat owners to be kiND and neuter at four months

Cats Protection urges cat owners to be kiND and neuter at four months The UK's leading feline welfare charity is calling on cat owners to be responsible and neuter their kittens to help prevent the birth of tens of thousands of unwanted cats.

Cats Protection research has also revealed that only 4% of cat owners neuter their cat at or before four months of age.

Cat owners cited a number of reasons for not neutering or delaying neutering, with 22% of the respondents stating it was cruel and 14% fearing it would change their pet's personality. Many respondents also believe that kittens couldn't conceive until they were five to six months old.

Cats Protection is keen to debunk these myths.

Jane, Cats Protection's Neutering Manager, said: "Neutering not only has health benefits, such as the prevention of tumours and infectious diseases, but kittens also recover much quicker and the surgery is easier. It can stop male cats from spraying, fighting or straying and female cats wailing when in heat.

It is common for cat owners to wait until the cat is 'older' but cats can get pregnant at a very young age.

It isn't true that cats should have a litter before being neutered and neutering at breeding age and before a first litter is the kindest thing."

Research by Cats Protection has revealed that one unneutered female cat can be responsible for an astonishing 20,000 descendants in just five years.

Concerned with combatting the unwanted cat population, Cats Protection is promoting its Kitten Neutering Database (KiND) which helps cat owners easily locate the nearest vet who will neuter at four months or younger.

The database is supported by Cat Population Control Group members RSPCA, Blue Cross, Wood Green, The Mayhew, PDSA, Battersea, Celia Hammond and International Cat Care and Bristol University.

Jane is urging cat owners to utilise the search facility and ensure their cats are neutered at the earliest possible stage.

She said: "Cat owners may not be aware but kittens can become pregnant from four months of age.

Getting your kitten neutered at four months will prevent any accidental litters and keep her happy and healthy.
Be 'KiND to your kitten and find your nearest vet at our kitten neutering database today." ENDS

More than 900 practices have signed up to the Kitten Neutering Database. For more information or to locate the nearest veterinary practice which neuters at four months or younger click here

ENDS

For more information, please contact Smoking Gun PR on cats@smokinggunpr.co.uk or 0161 8391986

Notes to Editors:

1. Cats Protection is the UK's leading feline welfare charity and helps over 194,000 cats each year through its national network of over 250 volunteer-run branches and 31 adoption centres.
2. Cats Protection's vision is a world where every cat is treated with kindness and an understanding of its needs.
3. Cats Protection's registered charity number is 203644 (England and Wales) and SC037711 (Scotland). Founded as the Cats Protection League in 1927, the charity adopted the name Cats Protection in 1998. We ask that you use the name Cats Protection when referring to the charity in all published material.
4. More information about the work of Cats Protection can be found at www.cats.org.uk