What is neutering?  
Neutering is a surgical procedure, carried out under general anaesthesia and aimed at preventing reproduction and various reproductive diseases. Castration is generally a term used for male, while spay is a term used for females.    

How does neutering work?  
It works by eliminating sex hormones in your cat. 
For male cats, their testicles are removed so that they will no longer produce sperm which can fertilise the egg of a female cat. 
For females, the surgery consists of removing either the ovaries (ovariectomy) or the ovaries & uterus (ovariohysterectomy).    

How will neutering affect my cat’s diet?  
As soon as your cat has been neutered, you will start to notice changes in their behaviour – including their feeding habits. Their appetite can increase by 20-25%, but actual energy expenditure reduces by 30%. This means it is very easy for your neutered cat to overeat and store the extra energy as fat. Tailored diets can help to prevent such occurrences by having a formulation that is reduced in calorie content and altered nutrients level to support neutered cat health needs.    

What complications can there be with neutering?  
The biggest complications associated with neutering come from the potential weight your cat can gain, which in turn can lead to serious health conditions. Diabetes and joint disease are both linked to obesity in cats, while sedentary or indoor cats can end up with digestive issues due to a lack of movement and lots of time spent grooming themselves.  

Deciding to get your cat neutered is a decision which can positively affect their health and home life but do take precaution to keep them at their heathy weight. If you would like further advice, we encourage you to speak to your vet who will be able to advise you on the best course of action.    

Keeping your cat healthy after neutering  
1. Reduce calorie intake by 25-33% by reducing the amount fed or feeding a diet with lower calorie density. For example, Royal Canin Sterilised that you can find from authorized pet stores or Royal Canin Neutered Satiety Balance from Royal Canin Veterinary Care Nutrition range for cats that you can find in veterinary clinics.  
2. Measure their meals using a digital weighing scale and follow the amount recommended by the feeding guideline. Poor control of calorie intake may be exacerbated by diets which fail to induce satiety, particularly if highly palatable, energy dense & fed ad libitum.  
3. 5-10 minutes of active play once to twice daily significantly increases calorie demand. Give them toys they can play with by themselves, or food toys like puzzle feeders which encourage them to play with an object to get a few kibbles as a reward.