Whether you neuter your cat or not can have an impact on other cats, if for example, your cat has outdoor access, or lives with other cats.
A cat who is not neutered can impregnate / get pregnant from other cats. Brothers and sisters can mate with each other too.
Cats can get pregnant from 4 months old.
Concerns about early neutering that you may have heard about
People have been concerned about the link between early neutering and urethral obstruction (where a cat gets a blocked bladder) . In 2022, Sampaio and others paper suggests that the age that a cat is neutered does not have an effect on suffering with an obstruction later. Other reasons for urinary challenges can be obesity and stress. Neutering can be linked to a cat eating more and roaming less, which can impact their weight. There are lots of great ideas for helping cats move more by introducing puzzle feeders.
You may have also heard about the delay in growth plates and orthopaedic risk of neutering too early. However, Dr Goetz mentioned that this does not increase the risk of fractures. Speak to your vet about options if you have a Maine Coone. Of course be mindful of gaps between stairs and the back of radiators and open windows – kittens can fall easily.
Here are some benefits of early neutering that was talked about by Dr Goetz
Shorter operation time in kittens
Less roaming leading to less chance of a Road Traffic Accident
Risk of fighting between cats reduced
Urine marking risk reduced (obviously can be other reasons for this behaviour)
Risk of ovarian cysts reduced
Risk of mammary tumours developing reduced if a cat is spayed before their first season
Reference
Goetz, U. (2025) ‘When is it too early—or too late—to neuter a cat? Science, Context, and Surgical Decision-Making’[Online presentation]. iCat Care Virtual Congress 2025. Available at: https://portal.icatcare.org/ (Accessed: 19 October 2026).
Welsh, C. P., Gruffydd-Jones, T. J., Roberts, M. A., & Murray, J. K. (2014). Poor owner knowledge of feline reproduction contributes to the high proportion of accidental litters born to UK pet cats. The Veterinary record, 174(5), 118