Chinchilla Cat

    Cats generally begin to reach sexual maturity at 6 months, with most starting to come into heat by 8 months. Male and female cats in heat eat less, behave strangely, and howl loudly, especially at night, often disturbing people’s sleep. As a result, male cats often go missing outdoors; if female cats are allowed to breed freely, they reproduce one after another, making it difficult to care for them, and abandoning them is pitiful, causing headaches.

　　Actually, if the purpose of keeping cats is just for companionship, the best method is to perform "neutering" surgery before the cat reaches sexual maturity, removing the testicles of male cats or the ovaries of female cats, so that the troublesome "heat" behaviors will no longer occur. Neutered cats, aside from being sterile, maintain their health and temperament, and their personality becomes calmer and more trainable. For female cats, spaying is best done just after sexual maturity at 6 months old, while for male cats it is best to neuter before sexual maturity, ideally before 6 months. The neutering surgery should be performed by a veterinarian, preferably in winter, which helps the wounds heal. Female cats should fast 12 hours before surgery, and cats that are unhealthy or ill should postpone surgery. Generally, wounds heal in 6-7 days after surgery. However, cats should not be bathed within half a month afterward. Female cats stop heat quickly after spaying, but male cats neutered after coming into heat may continue annoying behaviors for about 20 days before they stop.