Alley Cat Allies has long supported pediatric spay and neuter, which is performed when healthy kittens are about 2 months old and weigh 2 pounds. Now the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and other veterinary groups are slowly moving in this direction.
In a recent decision, the AVMA endorsed a recommendation that veterinarians spay and neuter cats by 5 months of age, one month earlier than had been customary. Cats, however, can get pregnant as young as 4 months. The Veterinary Task Force on Feline Sterilization made the new recommendation.
*This article was originally published in Alley Cat Action, Volume 28, Issue 3, Spring 2018.