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Thread: Mom says no to spay/neuter

  1. #1

    Mom says no to spay/neuter

    I just got my new bunny today. I believe he's a boy. He's 4 months old and I got him from a friend who's bunnies had babies. (My bun's their son) I asked my mom about neutering him, and she got mad and said NO WAY! She's not even letting us spay my kitty. Its not because of vet bills. We take our pets to the vet ALL the time, and they are all in great health. Her reason is that its cruel, un-natural, mean, and wrong to remove a part of an animal's body for whatever reason. She said she could NEVER have something like this done to any of our beloved pets.

    I talked to her about the population problem, and she said human children in many parts of the world are also homeless and dying. She said that does not mean humans should start spaying and nuetering their kids does it? She said if there's a population problem in animals in that many are put down, human kids are homeless and dying too....................thousands and thousands of them. She said that all animals have the instincts to care for themselves, and if some animals remain without a home, they can protect themselves in the wild. She said they can learn to protect themselves like squirrels, birds, and other wild animals do. When I told her it can reduce future health risks, she said that God created them with those parts, and their own natural parts cannot be a health risk because we have them too. SHe said that when cancer happens it happens. That doesn't mean you remove parts of the body before hand. She said that God gave them those parts and that humans have no right to remove them and alter their pets. When I asked her about my kitty going into heat and causing trouble, she said, "We adopted that cat, we love her, we will bear with her with however she behaves. We're not going to remove her body parts just so she doesn't act like a cat's supposed to act." She said that our cat and bunny are single and indoor, so its impossible for them to get kids and add to the population, and she said that if an animal has the desire to have a child, its cruelty to remove their body parts so they can't. She said, "How would we humans feel if our pets decided to remove our organs so we couldn't have kids when we really wanted kids?" My mom thinks spaying/nuetering is the most cruel thing one can do to their pets. She said its equal to declawing. She said its plain wrong and she doesn't care if people do it or if vets encourage it. She said "I love my animals and will NEVER allow such a thing to happen to them." My dad agrees. I'm starting to believe my mom too. She convinced me in a very nice way. I'm not so sure though. But anyway, its been decided that our bunny and cat are not going to be spayed/nuetered. My mom would hear none of it. She almost started crying when I mentioned it! She said she could never do such a thing. She said they were created with those organs and we have no right to remove them, period. What should I do?

    We took my bun to the vet to have him checked after getting him, and he's in perfect health.

    Please don't blow up on me or start yelling. My parents rule the house, and these are their rules. I have to abide by them as their child. I'm kind of happy though because I won't have to go through the pains of leaving them at the vet, being full of fear and anxiety the whole day. I just can't handle that, especially if I know a part of them is being removed!
    Last edited by petsbestern; 03-17-2003 at 02:09 AM.
    I love my beautiful and adorable cockatiel birdys (Dumbledore and Hermoine), my sweetie kitten (Hufflepuff), my sun conure (Hedwig) and my new bunny bun bun (Hagrid)!

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  2. #2
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    First I'd like to say that no one is going to blow up on you I'm pretty sure. Your mom's heart is in the right place and it sounds like she's so very loving and caring. However, I stand firmly that the best thing to do is fixing them. I am going to have to do some thinking on how to convince her of that though. I will post some advice if I think of any. In the meantime, give your mom a hug for having such a heart.
    Alyson
    Shiloh, Reece, Lolly, Skylar
    and fosters Snickers, Missy, Magic, Merlin, Maya

  3. #3
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    I can see where she's coming from, but I don't agree. Let's just hope she's okay with you taking extra precaution from letting the animals mate and if not, is very determined to get the reprecussions great homes!

  4. #4
    Well, since there seems to be no chance that the bunny could get loose outside and mate, then there is probably no harm in leaving him intact. I have no experience with bunnies, so I don't know if there will be behavioral problems associated with him still having natural urges. I worry about the cat being left intact though, since there is a good chance it could slip outside. I do know that leaving cats intact will result in male spraying/marking in the house, and females coming into heat and yowling. Good thing the kitty is female, because I can assure you, your mom wouldn't want to "bear with" the stench of male cat spray, which ruins anything in your home that it lands on - we had things in our basement that still stunk YEARS after the cat had sprayed on them! Your mom's theory has a few holes - leaving pets in their "natural" state, with the desire to reproduce, but unnaturally restricting them from doing so (by keeping them in a human home) creates stress on the pet. No offense, but ask your mom how she would feel if your dad lived on the other side of a window and she could see him but couldn't ever get near him. Spaying/neutering is one of the consequences of adapting animals to be pets and live with humans instead of their own kind. If we wanted animals to live 100% naturally, then we wouldn't bring them into our homes and make pets of them. Also, domesticated animals who accidentally are set "free" do NOT have the natural defenses that wild animals do, because it has been domesticated out of them, and they will NOT adapt beautifully to suddenly becoming wild.

    As far as spaying and neutering humans - I believe in that too! I was "spayed" after having my first and only "litter". Since we can't communicate with animals, how do we know they want to stay intact? Maybe the kitty would want to be spayed, like I did, but can't ask. If people all over the world are homeless and starving, wouldn't it be more humane if they didn't have to reproduce, and try to feed children that they don't have the resources for? Natural isn't always right, because both man and animals have become more civilized and domesticated. That's why man has come up with so many wonderful ways to improve upon nature, and I'm glad for all the miracles of medicine and surgery.
    The legend says that Mohammed adored cats. When one of them was sleeping on his sleeve and he had to go out, Mohammed supposedly cut off the sleeve so as not to disturb his pet.

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  5. #5
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    I am totally split when it comes to neutering:

    I can see how important it is for homeless animals and I've seen it first hand how bad it can be thanks to all the strays I've seen and the condition of my uncle's girlfriend's animals.

    But then I hate myself for neutering Oliver and spaying Titti because that means I cannot have kittens from either of them. When Titti passed all I wanted was to have a part of her left as a kitty, and I don't know how I will deal when it's Oliver's time...

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  6. #6
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    Originally posted by All Creatures Great And Small
    I have no experience with bunnies, so I don't know if there will be behavioral problems associated with him still having natural urges.
    Yes! There are! Male bunnies spray too and neutering them helps reduce odor as well as the bad habit! He will be calmer, less bitey/nippy, less chewy and all around happier!

  7. #7
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    No one is going to yell, at you for somthing that you parents said and you asked what more you could you do?? I respect your mom, she has good points. I agree with some of her reasons. But I dont agree with-
    She said they can learn to protect themselves like squirrels, birds, and other wild animals do.
    I belive that What you tame is your own creation, you must care for it to bring it the best life. Wild cats and dogs can spread dieses, and things such as heartworm(my vet says). Which I was is a what we are trying to get rid of.

    I talked to her about the population problem, and she said human children in many parts of the world are also homeless and dying. She said that does not mean humans should start spaying and nuetering their kids does it?
    But people can fend for them selves without haveing to live rely something else. (example: Feral Cats have to dogde dogs, cars, mean people, ect)

    *****Since your you only have a cat and a bunny, and they are inside pets, I do not belive that you have to get your pets spayed or neutered. Ive never even thought to get my bunnies neutered. The females are always seperated from the males.
    My cats though Im alittle more worried about. My aunts cat got cancer from not being spayed and I would hate to lose Blueberry to the same fate, when she doesnt have too.

    *********Plus some Women do get "Spayed" so to say.

  8. #8
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    I had a boy bunny for 6 years and I didn't find out you could even neuter a bunny until it was way, way too late. An unneutered bun's urine is horrid smelling.

    I wonder what your mom is going to be saying when your female kitty goes into heat at 3 am and yowls all night
    Owned by a demanding cat. Lol

  9. #9
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    No, we don't "spay and neuter" humans. But humans can make the independent, intellectual, informed decision to stop having children if they choose or choose not to have any at all. And, both men and women can and DO opt to have elective surgery to prevent further pregnancies. It goes without saying that birth control is practiced by millions of men and women every day. Unfortunately, animals do not have the ability to make these choices on their own. Even with the current push to spay and neuter all domesticated pets, because of indiscriminate or unintentional breeding, MILLIONS of animals are left homeless to suffer and even more are euthanized EVERY year. THAT is cruelty!!

    And without question, non-neutered, non-spayed pets are prone to many, many more serious health conditions than those that are spayed/neutered. Male dogs can develop testicular cancer. Female dogs that are not bred and left unspayed, are 50% more likely to develop breast cancer and pyometria, a potentially fatal infection of the uterus! My first rescued Lab Jingles almost died from pyometria. She was adopted unspayed at age 2 1/2 and became ill 2 weeks before the planned surgery. Thankfully, she survived but was VERY ill.

    You sound like a wonderfully responsible and caring pet guardian and I'm sure your Mom means well. And of course, the decision is NOT in your hands. I hope that you will continue to discuss this with your Mom (perhaps the vet can discuss it with her too) and hopefullly, change her mind! At least, I hope she/you take all precautions to make certain that your bunny is kept separated from any unspayed females!

    Star,Tigg'r , Mollie and the10 Gallon Gang!

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  10. Anthropomorphism - giving to animals human traits....

    Humans have the ability to reason and control the sexual urge (they may not always do so, but the ability is there!) Animals act strictly on instinct. No cat, or bunny, or dog every thought..."Is this a good time to reproduce? Is this who I should reproduce with? Will he/she be a good parent? Will I be a good parent?" Their bodies say "have Sex" and they respond -- by having unprotected sex.

    Humans (and dolphins) derive pleasure from sex. Other animals do not. For example the penis of a male cat has barbs on it to help maintain contact -- candlelight and romance it isn't! It is instinct -- pure and simple. A female cat in heat will mate with as many tom as she can find. One litter can have kittens from two or more toms.

    We -- humans -- domesticated cats, dogs, bunnies (cows, pigs, sheep, and horses!) Now we have a responsibility to them. It is NOT a responsibility of equals -- it is a responsibility of protector, care giver -- and that includes protecting them from irresponsible breeding and the hazards of life in the wild.

    Take a visit to a shelter that isn't "no-kill." Help out with some euthanasias. Maybe that will help with an understanding of the consequences of not nuetering!

  11. #11
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    I'm not going to yell, it sounds like you are between a rock and a hard place.

    I have a different take on it. I am very sensitive to my animals' needs, and I think not spaying or neutering is crueler than doing it. Leaving an animal intact to experience going through a heat is very unpleasant for them- especially if the animal can't breed and relieve the discomfort. When an animal is in heat, all they think about is breeding, and I think it is very cruel to make them go through that and suffer.

    When I got Abby she was in heat and it was pure torture to watch her go through it until I could bring her in to get spayed. Cats will stay in heat a long time, and they are very loud and demanding during that time. I didn't get a full night's sleep until she had been spayed. After the surgery, she became the nicest, loving pet. So that is my opinion.

  12. #12
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    Tell your mom that your bunny is not a wild rabbit, and that he is not equipped to survive in the wild. He will be more unhappy because he will have a strong biological urge to reproduce, but no way to do it. Is it not worse for him to be emotionally frustrated than neutered?

    We know you will love him and I am not posting this to upset you. But that's just something for her to think about.

    Go to http://rabbit.org if you need more info. Not trying to cause trouble, just want her to have all the facts.

  13. #13


    You can spay/neuter humans?!?! OMG! I never knew that!
    Don't tell me you can spay neuter birdies too! I would never do that to my feathered kids. They are much to delicate.

    I guess I don't know what to say. Your mom's answers left me speechless. I know its encouraged and stuff, but I'm not exactly "for" removing parts of an animal's body. I don't know. My mind just doesn't agree with it. I highly doubt my parents would allow it if I had a kitty or a bunny, and I don't know if I "would" do it myself. It would require a lot of thinking for me. The spraying of a male can definitely be a cause of problem. I would rather get an already fixed animal than have it done myself. It just scares me. None of my cousin's cats are fixed, but they are indoor/outdoor cats so who knows what they do out there. Their male hasn't sprayed inside before though. I know that in some other countries, NO ONE spays/neuters animals, so if you go on the streets, be prepared to meet dozens of stray kitties going about their business. Its pretty cool though, in the way that, when I go to visit family in Pakistan, I get to pet tons of kitties when we go out. They are all very friendly, but there ARE too many on the streets, and the pet ones aren't usually fixed either.

  14. #14
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    Well said Sandra!!!!

    Edwina's Secretary - I was going to bring up anthropomorphism too. Guess it was too late and I forgot

    petsbestern - maybe you could print off some of these replies to try to convince your mom. I know you will not want your babies to have to go to the vet and go through surgery - none of us do! I was a crying mess when mine got done. But I know its for the best and I would *never* have an unfixed animal (well, except my fishies ).
    Alyson
    Shiloh, Reece, Lolly, Skylar
    and fosters Snickers, Missy, Magic, Merlin, Maya

  15. #15
    Originally posted by aly
    Well said Sandra!!!!

    Edwina's Secretary - I was going to bring up anthropomorphism too. Guess it was too late and I forgot

    petsbestern - maybe you could print off some of these replies to try to convince your mom. I know you will not want your babies to have to go to the vet and go through surgery - none of us do! I was a crying mess when mine got done. But I know its for the best and I would *never* have an unfixed animal (well, except my fishies ).
    Hey what about birdies?

    I don't think anyone fixes their birdies *I think*. My tiels have chosen not to mate for now themselves. Good for me! At least they don't have behavioral problems.................well, at least mine don't. I do hear they because VERY protective and territorial when the female starts laying.

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