Kitten Neutering Database

Who we are

We are a number of charities working together under the umbrella of Cat-Kind to make four month neutering the ‘norm’ for pet cats through collaboration on research and coordination of activities.

We were formed in 2013 and won the Third Sector Award for collaboration in 2016.

The resources on this site provide support for vets who are already neutering at four months and those who want to make the change to neutering at four months routinely. This is also the home of the Kitten Neutering Database, where the public can find their local vets who neuter kittens at four months.

What we do

• Work to ensure all veterinary practices promote and practise neutering at four months (the age at which cats can get pregnant)
• Encourage all rescue organisations to adopt policies to neuter prior to rehoming
• Refocus neutering education campaigns to ensure they reposition neutering as the act of a caring, loving cat owner
• Ensure the one litter myth is dispelled
• Encourage collaboration between animal welfare and rescue organisations, the veterinary profession and housing associations through community outreach programmes to target those audiences less likely to neuter
• Recognise where pro-bono support is provided by veterinary professionals to further animal welfare

Neutering is the only effective way to reduce the number of accidental litters and unwanted cats being born in the UK.

There is a great need for subsidised neutering help. Cat-Kind members alone neutered more than 200,000 cats in 2019.

The financial impact of COVID-19 on many cat owners is likely to increase this need and potentially increase the number of accidental litters born.

Research in focus: why we should neuter at four months

Cats can become pregnant as early as four months old¹

Kittens born accidentally often end up in charity care or living a vulnerable life on the streets

By neutering cats from four months of age (rather than the traditional six months of age), the veterinary profession can have a significant impact on the number of unplanned litters and therefore reduce the number of potentially homeless cats. Cat-Kind recommends that veterinary professionals discuss neutering with owners at the time of the primary vaccination course and proactively book kittens in to be neutered from four months of age.

of female cats had kittens
before being neutered³

of owned cats litters
are accidental²

of vets currently neuter cats
at four months of age*⁵

^{(*or would if practice policy permitted)}

Many cat owners are
unaware of the reproductive
capacity of cats²

Veterinary professionals
identified lack of neutering as
one of the top issues to
be addressed relating to the
wellbeing of cats⁴

Many owners believe in the
myth that a cat should have a
litter of kittens before being
neutered²

References

1. Joyce A, Yates D (2011) Help stop teenage pregnancy! Early-age neutering in cats. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.jfms.2010.11.005
2. Welsh, CP, Gruffydd-Jones, TJ, Roberts, MA, Murray, JK (2014) Poor owner knowledge of feline reproduction contributes to the high proportion of accidental litters born to UK pet cats. The Veterinary Record, 174(5). https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.101909
3. Cats and Their Stats (2020). Available at: https://www.cats.org.uk/assets/cats-report/Cats_Report_2020.pdf
4. PDSA PAW Report (2018). Available at: https://www.pdsa.org.uk/get-involved/our-campaigns/pdsa-animal-wellbeing-report/past-reports
5. McDonald, J, Clements J (2020) Contrasting practices and opinions of UK-based veterinary surgeons around neutering cats at four months old. The Veterinary Record, 187(8). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7606499/

Position statements

BSAVA

‘’The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) is a
member of the Cat Group and supports the policy of pre-pubertal
neutering (ie at four months of age or older rather than at
the traditional six months of age or older).’’

BVA

“In line with the BSAVA, the British Veterinary Association (BVA)
recommends that pet cats are neutered from 16 weeks […] The
policy statement of the Cat Group is supported by the BVA.”