Having your cat sprayed or castrated (neutered) is the best thing to do if you are not planning on breeding your cat. Having your female cat spayed and your male cat neutered has its advantages.

For females - there is no mess to deal with during their heat cycles, which begins at the age of about six months and recurs every six months thereafter. Spaying a female before her first heat cycle reduces the chance of her developing mammary tumours or uterine diseases. The incision for a spay is made in the abdomen and both the ovaries and the uterus are removed.

How it is removed?
The animal is placed under general anaesthetic and her abdomen shaved of hair and prepared for sterile surgery. An incision is made on the midline behind her umbilicus (belly button) and the abdomen opened. Blood vessels supplying the ovaries are clamped and lighted (tied off with suture material). The uterus is clamped near the cervix and lighted. The uterus is transacted (cut away from the cervix) and the ovaries and uterus removed. The abdomen is checked to ensure sterility was maintained. The ovarian and uterine pedicles are checked to ensure legation is complete and that there is no bleeding from these sites. The abdomen and skin are closed with suture material and the animal awoken from the anaesthetic. The incision may swell slightly and the animal will be painful for several days after surgery. Sutures are removed 10-14 days after surgery.

For males - those that are neutered tend to be less aggressive than unneutered males. Neutering a male can also lessen the urge to mark territory or roam away from home looking for females. The chance of testicular cancer or prostate problems is also reduced.

How is it removed?
Your cat is placed under general anaesthetic and the scrotal hair plucked away (male cats often have less post-operative swelling and irritation if the hair is plucked than if the scrotum is shaved with a clippers), and the scrotum prepared for sterile surgery. An incision is made over each testicle, the testis and spermatic cord exposed, either lighted (tied off with suture material) or tied in a knot on itself, and transacted (cut away). The remaining pedicle is checked for bleeding. The scrotal incisions are left unsecured to heal spontaneously. The cat is awoken from general anaesthetic. Side effects of feline castration are very uncommon.