Furby
From frightened stray to pampered prince: Furby’s journey to comfort and companionship
Cats, Rescue, Rehabilitate, Rehome
What it means for his health, behaviour and the wider community
Benefits for your cat
• Healthy for life – removes all risk of testicular cancer and slashes chances of hormone-related tumours.
• Less wander, fewer scrapes – reduced urge to roam means fewer car accidents and nasty fight wounds.
• Cleaner home – most neutered males stop spraying strong-smelling urine indoors.
Benefits for the community
• Stops the kitten crisis – one unneutered male can father dozens of litters every year.
• Cuts street fights & disease – fewer territorial battles means less FIV and FeLV in the neighbourhood.
• Happier neighbours – less yowling at night and less scent-marking in shared spaces.
A longer, healthier life for your pet friend
Neutering your male cat (also called castration or ‘the snip’) is a simple operation with life-changing benefits. For starters, it eliminates the risk of testicular cancer completely and reduces the risk of prostate enlargement and other hormone-driven tumours.
According to the RSPCA and Cats Protection, neutered cats are also far less likely to roam in search of a mate. That means fewer car accidents, fewer fight injuries, and less chance of contracting feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) which is spread through deep bites and can leave them susceptible to illness or disease.
Calmer behaviour and a sweeter-smelling house
Testosterone drives behaviours like spraying, roaming and fighting. Once hormone levels drop post-neutering, most toms become more relaxed and less likely to spray strong-smelling urine indoors.
They’re also less vocal and less driven to escape outdoors to search for a mate. You’ll still have your same affectionate, playful pet – but now with fewer hormonal distractions and a more content temperament.
Keeping the wider cat family safe
Neutering doesn’t just protect your cat – it helps the whole feline community. One unneutered male can father dozens of kittens every year. That means more unplanned litters, many of which end up in rescue centres like us, or are born outdoors and left vulnerable to disease and hunger.
By neutering your cat, you help to reduce the number of unwanted kittens and allow shelters to focus on caring for cats already in need. Fewer roaming males also means fewer territorial fights, which lowers the spread of infectious diseases like FIV in your local area – protecting cats you may never even meet.
Timing, aftercare and common myths
- When? Most vets recommend neutering from four to six months of age, before puberty kicks in. But don’t worry – older toms can be safely neutered too.
- Will he gain weight? Neutering slightly reduces calorie needs, but with the right diet and regular play, your cat can stay fit and healthy. If you’re unsure, speak to your vet about portion sizes or switching to a neutered-cat food.
- Is it a big operation? Not at all. It’s a straightforward day surgery under general anaesthetic. Most cats are back on their paws within hours and fully recovered in just a couple of days.
Take the next step
Booking ‘the snip’ is one of the kindest and quickest decisions you can make for your male cat – and for the cat population as a whole.
Together, we can keep much-loved toms safe, healthy and happily at home – while giving fewer kittens the tough start of life on the streets.
Read more about neutering
Read more about neutering male and female cats on our Pet care article 'Neutering your cat'.
