How to Convince Someone to Spay or Neuter Their Cat
Emphasize the health benefits., Explain to the owner that it will them get a better night’s sleep., Discuss the risk of the cat spraying while in heat., Tell them about the risk of testicular cancer., Explain the risk of other diseases., Discuss the...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Emphasize the health benefits.
Spaying their cat will significantly increase its chances of living a long life, with fewer health complications.
A cat that has not been spayed is significantly more likely to suffer from uterine infections and breast cancer, both of which are deadly in a majority of cases., A female cat will go into heat four to five days every three weeks, making nearly a third of the time the owner spends with their cat hellish.
A female cat in heat will scream incessantly, making obnoxious noises that can make it impossible for the owner to get a good night’s sleep., A female cat in heat is also more likely to mark its territory with urine.
Even if it knows how to use the litter box, it will spray all over the house to attract the attention of a potential mate., A cat who has not been neutered is at risk of developing testicular cancer.
Unsurprisingly, this can be unpleasant for the cat, expensive for the owner, and likely sad for your whole family; testicular cancer is often deadly., Unfixed males are more likely to suffer from prostrate disease and hernias.
While these are less dangerous than cancer, they can require surgery., A male cat who has not been neutered will do anything to get outside of the house and go out on the prowl for a mate.
Once the cat has escaped, it is subject to many life-threatening dangers: cars, predators, and competing males.
If it does manage to mate, it puts itself at a high risk of contracting STDs.Intact males suffer from extraordinarily high rates of feline HIV., Intact males produce an especially pungent urine.
Furthermore, they are more likely to want to mark their territory.
Thus, they are likely to stink up much of the house and ruin furniture., Intact male cats are aggressive because their hormones are telling them to fight with male competitors.
If they don't have any male cats to fight with, they are inclined to take out their feelings on their owner instead., Intact males feel a strong need to mark their territory.
One of the ways that they do that is by scratching.
While an neutered male can be distracted with a scratching post, an intact male will want to scratch everything in its territory., You can’t expect other people to have the same priorities as you.
The arguments that make sense for you, might not be the ones that matter to someone else.
Try to figure out what matters to the other person and tailor your arguments to that.For example, if the other person complains about the expense of neutering their cat, talk to them about how expensive it can be to buy new furniture or pay to fix an illness that could have been avoided if their cat were fixed. , People are turned off by arguments that are too extreme or emotional.
You are more likely to get your point across if you recognize the other person’s concerns and explain why they should consider an alternative point of view.
For example, if the person is really drawn to the idea of their cat having its own babies, explain that although that might be nice, there are already kittens in need of help., The movement to neuter pets saves millions of lives yearly.
In the 1970s, about 24 million dogs and cats were put to sleep annually because of overpopulation.
In 2007, that number had dropped to 4 million.
This huge drop is largely due to campaigns that have made fixing pets more popular., An intact cat will suffer from a variety of behavioral problems.
Most of these issues stem from a single cause: the cat is more interested in finding a mate than it is in establishing a relationship with the owner. , On average, fixing a cat costs about $200.
However, there are many programs that subsidize the procedure, making it possible to perform it for much less money.
The ASPCA offers an online database of low-cost neutering services; search this database to find a provider nearby., While fixing cats can be affordable, many of the problems associated with an intact cat are not.
Raising a litter of cats is not cheap nor is replacing ruined furniture.
It is extremely expensive to treat some of the diseases that intact cats are susceptible to.For example, an operation to fix a hernia can cost as much as $1,000., For a variety of reasons, many people are drawn to the idea of natural birth.
Remind them that parenting is about more than giving birth.
Adopting and saving an unwanted kitten is better parenting than birthing a litter they can't care for., Encourage the person you are working with to visit a veterinarian they trust to discuss the benefits of neutering or spaying their cat.
Alternatively, look for professionally-made materials; The American Humane Association offers a 30-page brochure entitled “The Case for Early Neutering.” The brochure is accompanied by a video.
If the person you are trying to persuade doesn’t believe you, you can give them these items as a gift.
Call the American Humane Association for information about how to purchase this material. -
Step 2: Explain to the owner that it will them get a better night’s sleep.
-
Step 3: Discuss the risk of the cat spraying while in heat.
-
Step 4: Tell them about the risk of testicular cancer.
-
Step 5: Explain the risk of other diseases.
-
Step 6: Discuss the difficulty of keeping an intact male in the house.
-
Step 7: Explain that an intact male will stink up the house.
-
Step 8: Explain that an intact male is likely to fight.
-
Step 9: Explain that an intact cat will scratch up furniture.
-
Step 10: Identify the values that matter to the person you are trying to persuade.
-
Step 11: Speak calmly.
-
Step 12: Explain that they will be helping to save millions of kitties.
-
Step 13: Explain that neutering is the only way to focus the cat's attention on its owner.
-
Step 14: Help to find a program that will neuter the cat for cheap.
-
Step 15: Ask the owner to consider the money they can save.
-
Step 16: Ask them to consider better ways to model parenting.
-
Step 17: Look for professional help.
Detailed Guide
Spaying their cat will significantly increase its chances of living a long life, with fewer health complications.
A cat that has not been spayed is significantly more likely to suffer from uterine infections and breast cancer, both of which are deadly in a majority of cases., A female cat will go into heat four to five days every three weeks, making nearly a third of the time the owner spends with their cat hellish.
A female cat in heat will scream incessantly, making obnoxious noises that can make it impossible for the owner to get a good night’s sleep., A female cat in heat is also more likely to mark its territory with urine.
Even if it knows how to use the litter box, it will spray all over the house to attract the attention of a potential mate., A cat who has not been neutered is at risk of developing testicular cancer.
Unsurprisingly, this can be unpleasant for the cat, expensive for the owner, and likely sad for your whole family; testicular cancer is often deadly., Unfixed males are more likely to suffer from prostrate disease and hernias.
While these are less dangerous than cancer, they can require surgery., A male cat who has not been neutered will do anything to get outside of the house and go out on the prowl for a mate.
Once the cat has escaped, it is subject to many life-threatening dangers: cars, predators, and competing males.
If it does manage to mate, it puts itself at a high risk of contracting STDs.Intact males suffer from extraordinarily high rates of feline HIV., Intact males produce an especially pungent urine.
Furthermore, they are more likely to want to mark their territory.
Thus, they are likely to stink up much of the house and ruin furniture., Intact male cats are aggressive because their hormones are telling them to fight with male competitors.
If they don't have any male cats to fight with, they are inclined to take out their feelings on their owner instead., Intact males feel a strong need to mark their territory.
One of the ways that they do that is by scratching.
While an neutered male can be distracted with a scratching post, an intact male will want to scratch everything in its territory., You can’t expect other people to have the same priorities as you.
The arguments that make sense for you, might not be the ones that matter to someone else.
Try to figure out what matters to the other person and tailor your arguments to that.For example, if the other person complains about the expense of neutering their cat, talk to them about how expensive it can be to buy new furniture or pay to fix an illness that could have been avoided if their cat were fixed. , People are turned off by arguments that are too extreme or emotional.
You are more likely to get your point across if you recognize the other person’s concerns and explain why they should consider an alternative point of view.
For example, if the person is really drawn to the idea of their cat having its own babies, explain that although that might be nice, there are already kittens in need of help., The movement to neuter pets saves millions of lives yearly.
In the 1970s, about 24 million dogs and cats were put to sleep annually because of overpopulation.
In 2007, that number had dropped to 4 million.
This huge drop is largely due to campaigns that have made fixing pets more popular., An intact cat will suffer from a variety of behavioral problems.
Most of these issues stem from a single cause: the cat is more interested in finding a mate than it is in establishing a relationship with the owner. , On average, fixing a cat costs about $200.
However, there are many programs that subsidize the procedure, making it possible to perform it for much less money.
The ASPCA offers an online database of low-cost neutering services; search this database to find a provider nearby., While fixing cats can be affordable, many of the problems associated with an intact cat are not.
Raising a litter of cats is not cheap nor is replacing ruined furniture.
It is extremely expensive to treat some of the diseases that intact cats are susceptible to.For example, an operation to fix a hernia can cost as much as $1,000., For a variety of reasons, many people are drawn to the idea of natural birth.
Remind them that parenting is about more than giving birth.
Adopting and saving an unwanted kitten is better parenting than birthing a litter they can't care for., Encourage the person you are working with to visit a veterinarian they trust to discuss the benefits of neutering or spaying their cat.
Alternatively, look for professionally-made materials; The American Humane Association offers a 30-page brochure entitled “The Case for Early Neutering.” The brochure is accompanied by a video.
If the person you are trying to persuade doesn’t believe you, you can give them these items as a gift.
Call the American Humane Association for information about how to purchase this material.
About the Author
Janice Henderson
Committed to making pet care accessible and understandable for everyone.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: