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From: suem@ihu1h.UUCP (Sue McKinnell)
Newsgroups: net.pets
Subject: neutering male cats
Message-ID: <336@ihu1h.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 6-Sep-84 14:23:59 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihu1h.336
Posted: Thu Sep  6 14:23:59 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 16-Sep-84 12:12:24 EDT
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 22

Male cats are more susceptible to cystitis because their plumbing is
narrower; if you neuter a male after he is old enough, you will not
ADD to his chances.  "Old enough" varies, but should be at least 10
months.  Your vet is your best guide for when the cat is ready.  As
for dry vs. wet food:  the current medical theory on cystitis is that
any cat which develops it was BORN with it; it is thought to be a
herpes simplex II infection.  The ash controversy is not proved, but
merely a theory with some supporting data.  A vet I took my cats to
in Cleveland had done a study on this and ended up recommending dry
food for cats WITH cystitis.  A good dry food has advantages: it is
complete nutrition and cleans the cat's teeth.  If you feed your cat
only wet food, you will end up taking it to a vet for teeth-cleaning,
or it may lose it's teeth.  BTW, I strongly recommend that ALL cats
not specifically kept for breeding be neutered.  Unneutered males will
spray and fight; unneutered females with cycle into heat at ever-
decreasing intervals until they are perpetually in heat, also they
develop cysts and tumors.
-- 

Sue McKinnell
...!ihnp4!ihu1h!suem
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