Maine Coon: when to neuter (or spay) it?

2023 Author: Alex Livingston | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-26 11:39

There sterilization (or castration in the case of males) is a surgical procedure in which the reproductive organs of an animal are removed in whole or in part. There are several reasons why you may decide to spay or neuter cats, and sometimes the breed they belong to can affect the best time to proceed. Below we will talk in particular about when it is advisable to carry out this intervention on the Maine Coon.

Maine Coons should be spayed between 4 and 6 months of life, before reaching the age of puberty. This way yes will reduce as much as possible unwanted behaviors on the part of the animal such as the tendency to urinate everywhere and aggression.

Once puberty is reached, the cat undergoes a behavioral change and once started it could be irreversible, to the point that even carrying out the surgery later may not be enough. Waiting too long to spay your Maine Coon could leave you with a rather difficult animal to manage.

One of the least pleasant behaviors in these cases is tendency urinating in various corners of the house: this applies both to males, who do it to mark the territory, and to females, who are communicating that they are in heat; another possible cause is stress or anxiety on the part of the cat.

However, this is an unmistakable sign of the sexual maturation of these animals. Sterilizing them will reduce their frequency but only if it is done before they get used to it. Furthermore, the urine of non-sterilized cats tends to have a very intense smell and pungent, which you surely don't want in your home.

A Maine Coon in heat that goes away around the street in search of a mate to mate with, he is exposed to many risks: getting lost, injured or stolen; it can also get involved (especially if male) in fights with other animals or mate with sick cats. Sterilization will reset theirs desire to mate, and even if let out, the Maine Coon won't stray too far from home.

Maine Coons are among the friendliest cats that exist, but even in them there is the risk of developing a more aggressive and "noisy" personality with the onset of puberty.

Maine Coon sterilization myths to dispel

• It is useless for specimens that never leave the house: false, because if they cannot go out they will still feel the instinct to do so and will feel more and more frustrated; this can cause them to behave unpleasantly.
• Causes obesity in the animal: false, because if the sterilized animal moves less (no longer constantly looking for a companion) it is always possible to avoid the risk of obesity by subjecting it to an adequate diet and encouraging it to exercise.
• Causes Growth Problems: False, because there is no scientific evidence to prove it and because Maine Coons do not complete growth before 3-4 years of age; it is unthinkable to wait so long to sterilize them.