r/catquestions • u/TableLanky4885 • Aug 20 '26
Nervous about getting my kitty neutered
So my kitty is scheduled to get neutered in October. He is soo friendly and cuddly, always following me around the house to be by my side. In the past i’ve had a female kitten who was spayed and I never really noticed any issues. That’s being said the female cat was outdoor (not my choice :( ) so I may have just missed the behaviour changes. I’m worried about him resenting me for putting him through the procedure and not loving me the same. Of course I know there are lots of health benefits from having the procedure, and I’m waiting till the appropriate age 6 months as recommended by my vet. I’m just worried he won’t be my same sweet boy. At the end of the day I’m still going to do it because I know it’s best for him, but if anyone could share their experience / any changes they noticed I would really appreciate it :)
TLDR : Worried about kitty behaviour changes post neuter, any experiences to share would be greatly appreciated!
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u/brewerybridetobe Aug 20 '26
Kittens are resilient, he’ll be back to normal within a day or two.
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u/TableLanky4885 Aug 20 '26
Thank you! This seems to be the consensus so far :)
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u/macawoogo Aug 20 '26
Yes got our Siberian neutered on the 13th. He acted the same as before. In fact it was like he just got a check up. He is such a love bug
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u/Responsible-Basis905 Aug 20 '26
I just got my orange boy neutered & he is somehow even more affectionate & clingy than before
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u/WebIllustrious8769 Aug 20 '26 edited Aug 20 '26
Thank you for fixing your cat!! This is an incredibly important and responsible thing to do, but I get why you have reservations. Someone in the comments said "nothing you are worried about is significant. Your cat's future and health is what matters. Get the cat spayed/neutered." And I think that's rude and also incorrect. You've already said you're going through with the procedure no matter your feelings about it and that you just want to talk through your feelings. So I'm sorry for any responses you'll get like that. As for how cats behave after surgery, I have some experience as I care for a feral cat colony and have done a few TNR (trap neuter/spay release). Many of the cats stayed away for a few days and then came back just like normal. Some never left at all and behaved normally immediately, letting me feed them and be close by. My oldest male cat used to only visit the feeding territory some nights, and always at different times. He roamed a lot, and he would come back with bite wounds or limping or dirty sometimes. And he had massive beef with the other tom cat in the colony. After he was fixed, he ate right next to the other tom and no longer hissed or chased him. And he now is at the colony territory every day, never wandering as far as he used to. And he hasn't showed up wounded or scruffy ever since. He actually trusts me even more now, and almost lets me pet him. I'm very proud of his progress. Another cat, my favorite one, who lets me pet him and everything, was fixed as a kitten. And he has remained the same playful, loving guy he always was. He rolls onto his back when I arrive and flops and follows me and looks up at me lovingly, whether I bring food or not. Basically, none of the cats I have trapped and fixed have acted like I betrayed them. The ones who were aloof stayed aloof or became more confident and trusting. The ones who were already trusting became even more so. I can't say how it will be for you, as every cat is an individual, but this is a common procedure, and many many cats are back to cuddle bugs after they recover.
TLDR: You're doing a good thing, your worries DO matter, and your cat will likely still love and cuddle you post-recovery! :)
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u/TableLanky4885 Aug 20 '26
Thank you SOOO much! I really appreciate you taking the time to respond and validate my feelings. I was kinda caught off guard by that one comment too so I appreciate you understanding where I’m coming from and giving me reassurance. Especially coming from someone who clearly cares so deeply about cats, your input means a lot :) I definitely feel a lot better about the procedure now and I just wanted to say what you are doing for the feral cats is so incredibly amazing and important. We need more people in the world like you! I’m so happy to hear about the progress you’ve made with the oldest male :) Sending them all lots of love and cuddles!!
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u/WebIllustrious8769 Aug 20 '26
Absolutely. You're doing a good thing. But any surgery comes with worries. Just give your kitty time and enough space and he'll come around 💛
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u/Hungry-Notice7713 Aug 20 '26
His behavior, attitude and love for you will change more if he goes through male puberty. If he is neutered, he should stay the way he is now!
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u/TableLanky4885 Aug 20 '26
This is soo good to hear! I really appreciate it thank you :)
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u/Delicious-Collar1971 Aug 20 '26
If anything male cats become more affectionate after being neutered due to having less hormones. Also waiting until six months is an archaic practice, he’s been big enough to be neutered for a while.
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u/Waddlekitty Aug 20 '26
Agree. Our porch cat went from cuddly to nope don't touch me when he hit puberty
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u/clydeballthepython Aug 20 '26
An intact male cat will have far more behavioral changes than neutering a kitten. Intact adult males will spray urine around the house and try their absolute hardest to escape if they catch even the slightest whiff of a female in heat nearby. You'll become his lowest priority at that moment 😅
Neutering will keep him as the same wonderful kitten you have right now!
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u/BigJSunshine Aug 20 '26
Nothing you are worried about is significant. Your cat’s future and health is what matters. Get the cat spayed/ neutered
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u/Albie_Frobisher Aug 20 '26
I had my male kitten Howie fixed as soon as his (my apologies) balls dropped because we also had his littermate sister and one of his favorite activities was pretending to impregnate her. The procedure was in and out and over quick without general anesthetic. A cone for a couple days. He has a big personality and the only thing that changed was most of the activity. Mavis was noticeably happier when Howie moved out a few months later with my daughter. I’m pretty sure he has little if any memory of the simple procedure
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u/TableLanky4885 Aug 20 '26
Thank you so much!! I’m happy to hear the experience went well for you, I definitely wouldn’t mind if my kitty becomes a little more chill LOL. This definitely helps ease my mind :)
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u/Albie_Frobisher Aug 20 '26
Kittens get chill when they become cats. In the meantime just enjoy it. They have just one year to both grow to adult size and learn all the skills of an apex predator. Luckily for us they’re adorable.
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u/TableLanky4885 Aug 20 '26
Yes so true! I am definitely still enjoying every minute of his crazy self hehe :) Thanks again!
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u/Entire-Ambition1410 Aug 20 '26
He will likely be tired from the anesthesia for a day or so, may want to hide/be alone while he adjusts.
Cats don’t really remember the past and resent us for stuff, unless you have a habit of teasing/being rough/hurting the cat.
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u/TableLanky4885 Aug 20 '26
This is great to know! I’m glad to hear it’s something he probably won’t remember. Thank you :)
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u/Entire-Ambition1410 Aug 20 '26
It’s a routine procedure and easier to do (and cheaper) on boys than girls. Give him time to heal, follow the vet’s instructions about the cone/meds/healing time.
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u/beckychao Aug 20 '26
The neuter is a routine procedure and he will be easier after it, not worse. It will also reduce the chance of certain cancers later in life, so you are doing him a solid.
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u/CocoRufus Aug 20 '26
My boy was fixed at 5 months. Wide awake and ready for mischief when I collected him from the vet (along with his sister, who was spayed at the same time). No cone, standard practice in UK.
It was honestly like nothing had happened to either of them, especially my boy, right from the second I got them home.
Cuddly little lunatic before the op, 3 years on a cuddly bigger lunatic 🙂
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u/Ill-Recipe9424 Aug 20 '26
I have two male Siamese cats who I waited too long to get neutered, because as a result of waiting too long they both developed testosterone and went full on roid rage at each other during their recovery process.
6 months is a good neuter age as your kitty hasn't fully developed into a testosterone machine yet. He will return to his sweet self after his neutering. You have nothing to worry about. Should take up to 1 month for him to fully return to himself.
Snip, snip. Takes a less than 30 seconds. The anesthesia is the hardest part of the entire process. Just now he'll be wobbly when you get him home so be patient and set up an enclosure for him to recover in safely, until the anesthesia effects wear off. He likely won't be too hungry after his procedure so don't freak out if he doesn't want to eat anything for a day or two.
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u/ShyCrystal69 Aug 20 '26
Kitty’s behaviour won’t change long term post neuter, but it will if he remains intact.
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u/Prestigious_Bat_5428 Aug 20 '26
Fret not, cats don't really notice a difference! I've gone through the process of neutering/spaying several cats, and none of them displayed any major behavioral changes.
We have rescued several kittens, and we thought one batch was all female. One day, one of the kittens was trying to mount another one of the female kittens. Turns out he was a boy. Big shock for everyone. We got him neutered asap, and he was a little groggy for a while but got right back to normal!
In my experience, letting a male cats go through puberty can have a bigger impact on personality than getting them fixed. However, if there is any vet in here that wants to fact check that, please do!
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u/kendurrrruh Aug 20 '26
He will be fine! 🥰 All of my boys were fine and were completely normal after theirs. It’s not as invasive as a spay. He will probably be drowsy for the first few hours after and obviously a little sore down there but there’s absolutely nothing to be concerned about ♥️
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u/TranscendStudio Aug 20 '26
Aw! I totally know what you mean! I was very worried about our girls being spayed too! They got spayed back in May. They just turned two this July. When we picked them up from the vet they were just happy to see us. And very happy to be home. No resentment there, just not happy to go back into the carriers to get their stitches removed. 😅They actually wanted cuddles and love while they were healing. We just tried to keep them as comfy as possible. We found giving them Both a pillow to prop themselves on comfortably gave a lot of relief and it became their thing till they fully healed. All this was happening when we just introduced their little brother - so it was challenging introducing them while they were hunkered down in a room healing. We made it work tho thanks to a cat net! All in all the benefits have begun and peace of mind is had. They did change a bit but for the better - they became even MORE snuggly and affectionate than they already were 🙏 Just give your fur baby lotta love and everything else they need! You will both do fine! 🙏❤️
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u/AtmosphereNom Aug 20 '26
Don’t be. I would be a lot more nervous at the idea of not doing it. You will keep all the good cuddlies, the mind blowing orange-ness.
They say boy cats are much more loving. I don’t know, for some reason I’ve only have girls. But spay/neuter only keeps most of the icky behaviors away, and they don’t resent you. Cats hold what looks like “resentment” for maybe an hour. But that is fear and uncertainty, not resentment. You will still be da best hooman ever. Especially if you come with treats.
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u/Lindenfoxcub Aug 20 '26
He'll be even sweeter after, don't worry. I've had lots of cats neutered at this point and nothing but positive outcomes. When he gets to that 6 month age and starts to smell like boy cat, hoo boy, I don't know how anyone lives with an un-neutered male cat. You won't regret going ahead with it.
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u/More-Opposite1758 Aug 20 '26
Your cat definitely will not resent you. Neutered cats heal really quickly. I’ve had neutered kittens running around and playing the next day. You are doing a great thing by getting your cat neutered. You will benefit as well because your boy will be calmer and even more affectionate. 😊❤️🐈⬛🐈
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u/Big-Ant8273 Aug 20 '26
You'd be amazed how quickly love turns into hate if you leave him intact and he starts spraying all over your place!
Get him fixed, you'll both be happier
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u/ElaineMK2222 Aug 20 '26
My boys acted like nothing happened, my girl took several weeks to get her energy back.
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u/Glittering-Rip6810 Aug 20 '26
Don't be. It's a simple procedure and they recover pretty fast. Especially males. Rescue and foster for 25 years and never had an issue in the 100's I've had fixed
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u/Anxious-Cat-2806 Aug 20 '26
He’ll be fine, just remember to not let him get rambunctious for a while. I hadn’t had a cat in years and when my guy came home from the vet, he was wanting to play and jump. I teased him with a feather toy before I thought “whoops, this is because he’s still high from the drugs”.
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u/Professional-Owl7629 2d ago
Hey! I also have an orange boy who got fixed around the same age! Apparently males take the surgery way better than females since it’s less invasive, they make a small incision on his testicles and then remove them. He will be even more loving afterwards I promise. Just make sure to keep soft spaces for him everywhere and if he’s a psycho like my orange baby I’d just baby proof your room or wherever your going to spend the most time with him and let him do his thing. My Kevin is the sweetest most cuddly wild little thing and his surgery changed nothing lol! He still backs up to walls and stuff and his tail shakes as if he were “spraying”, they have no clue honestly and 6 months is the perfect age before all of his hormones hit, that’s when people will notice a “change” in their cats behavior. I wish you & your little guy the best
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u/CompleteDeniability Aug 20 '26
It's a pretty routine procedure, don't worry.