Expert: Charlotte Sherrell, DVM - 10/3/2008

Question
We rescued a feral kitten four months ago, and decided to adopt him. The association's vet recently convinced me to have him neutered at 6 months rather than wait 2 more months. Although his behavior has changed noticeably in the day or two since the operation (for the better, much less aggressive), I wonder if I should have listened to the vet in this case. Is it possible, though he appeared fully matured, that he wasn't physically ready for neutering? Also, she used an injection anesthetic to sedate him, and it took many hours for the effects to wear off. It seemed very anxiety provoking for him (think bad LSD trip) and the vet said he would be hyper-sensitive to light, noise and stimulus while recovering from the effects, also that in this country, there isn't funding to do veterinary care properly. Only in a hospital and that would be impossibly expensive, I was told. A normal vet costs 10 times the price and may not be any better equipped.

Did I put our cat at risk by getting talked into neutering too early and by out-dated practices like this general sedation by injection?

Answer
Levi -

Early sterilization can be very safe; neutering your pet at six months old is not really considered early sterilization.  Early sterilization is performed as early as two months of age and is considered safe as long as safe anesthesia is available.  

Just because you had the cat neutered at a county shelter does not mean that is was not done in a safe manner.  County shelters, humane societies and other private shelters are now operating in advanced ways like never before.  

Best Regards,

Charlotte Sherrell, DVM