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It is the duty of every responsible pet owner to have his or her feline spayed or neutered. Unwanted litters contribute to a vast oversupply of cats in the United States. This is a particular problem because felines, if left unchecked, can reproduce in staggering numbers over a short period.
Unless you plan to breed your cat (which is not recommended, except in the case of highly valued purebred models), it should be sterilized before reaching sexual maturity. For males this is called neutering (removal of the testicles); for females, spaying (removal of the ovaries and uterus). Without neutering, the habits of a male cat (marking its territory with urine; engaging in fights with other males; patrolling ceaselessly in search of females in heat) can be nearly intolerable. The neutering process deletes these subroutines along with the testicles. Neutered males also experience fewer health problems.
Likewise, female cats spayed before puberty are spared such malfunctions as uterine and ovarian cancer—two common disorders. Female cats will also stop going into heat (a two-week-long trial of house-soiling and howling that occurs three or more times each year).
The Cat Owner's Manual is a basic guide to cat care. The book was written by a celebrated veterinarian and an acclaimed author. It provides cat owners with well-researched and helpful information presented in a lighthearted manner. The creators chose to write the book in a style similar to what you'd find in "operating instructions" for a car or computer. Of course they--and we--respect the fact that our beloved pets are not products or machines!
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The Cat Owner's Manual is a basic guide to cat care.