The following information was provided by the Animal Protective Foundation:
Undesirable Behaviors with Unneutered Male Dogs
Heightened territorial behavior.
Sexual frustration; excessive grooming of genital area; mounting people or objects.
Possessive/overprotective of food and toys.
Unwillingness to obey commands; refusal to come when called; pulling on leash.
Barking or lunging at passersby; fighting with other dogs.
Pacing, whining, unable to settle down; door dashing, jumping, roaming, howling.
Compulsion to roam while seeking females in heat. Dogs will travel great distances when they seek to breed.
Facts on Unneutered Male Cats
When intact males sense a female in heat, they will often go to extremes to pursue the female.
Intact males often spray foul-smelling urine to mark their territory.
Neutered animals tend to be less territorial and less aggressive.
Neutered cats fight less, decreasing their risk of disease transmission and fight wounds.
Facts on Unspayed Female Cats
Unaltered female cats exhibit high levels of sexual frustration by crying, yowling and pacing.
They may roll around or rub against people or objects, or urinate around the house in an attempt to advertise for mates.
In many cases, their "heat" periods can last several weeks, causing
unwelcome males to gather, howl and fight beneath your windows
nightly. Most female cats have their first heat cycle at about
6 months of age, but cycles may begin earlier.
MYTH Animals must be at least 6 months old before they can be altered.
FACT Spay/neuter can be safely performed on animals as young as 6 weeks of age.
Veterinarians practicing this technique report that the surgery is significantly quicker and
easier to perform. Pet owners report fewer post-surgical problems than those who have
older animals altered.
MYTH Dogs are less protective after sterilization and show other negative behaviors.
FACT Any changes brought about are generally positive. Dogs and cats are both less likely
to fight or stray in search of a mate.
MYTH Altered pets gain weight and become less active.
FACT Weight is dependent upon caloric intake and calories burned during exercise, not
reproductive status.
MYTH Spaying or neutering is painful and dangerous.
FACT The surgery is performed under general anesthesia and is painless. Animals usually
recuperate completely within a few days.
FACT Altering animals eliminates the risk of certain diseases, such as mammary and
testicular cancer.
FACT Unaltered animals are more likely to be killed by cars as a result of straying from
home.
FACT The more heat cycles a pet has gone through, the more susceptible she is to serious
diseases. There are no medical advantages in permitting your pet to have a litter.
FACT Whenever you allow a kitten or puppy to be born, you contribute to the death of
another animal. Because of the vast overpopulation of dogs and cats, each time you give
away a puppy or kitten, a potential home is lost for one of the untold numbers of animals in
shelters who must be euthanized, or for one of the unfortunate animals abandoned by an irresponsible owner.