Early Spay and Neuter: The Ethical Standard for Responsible Siberian breeders
At WinterForest Siberians, I am often asked and something chastised on our decision to routinely spayed or neutered our kittens before they leave for their new homes. This is decision is often reached at 10 weeks of age before our kittens have secured their forever home.
The answer is simple: it protects the individual kitten, supports their wellbeing as a cherished companion, and safeguards the long-term future of the breed.
Ethical breeding is not just about producing beautiful kittens — it is about responsibility, stewardship, and setting every kitten up for lifelong success.
Preventing Hormonal Stress Before It Begins
While Siberian cats are celebrated for their steady temperaments, they can still mature early. Some females may cycle from as young as 4–6 months.
Heat cycles can cause:
Persistent vocalisation
Restlessness
Escape attempts
Appetite fluctuations
Stress within the household
There is no welfare advantage to allowing a pet cat to experience repeated hormonal cycles. By neutering before puberty, we prevent that stress entirely.
Your kitten transitions into your home hormonally stable, calm, and ready to bond.
Preventing Behavioural Issues Before They Develop
Sex hormones strongly influence behaviours such as:
Urine spraying
Territorial marking
Roaming
Inter-cat tension
Excessive vocalisation
Once learned, these behaviours can persist even after neutering.
Early spay/neuter prevents these behaviours from establishing in the first place — preserving the temperament we have carefully bred for.
For owners, this means:
A calmer home
Reduced stress
A stronger human–animal bond
A kitten who integrates smoothly into family life
Long-Term Health Protection
Spaying before the first heat dramatically reduces the risk of mammary tumours and eliminates:
Pyometra (life-threatening uterine infection)
Ovarian and uterine cancers
For males, neutering removes the risk of testicular disease and reduces roaming-related injuries.
When performed by experienced veterinarians, paediatric spay/neuter is safe and does not negatively impact growth or long-term health in healthy kittens.
Why WinterForest Undertakes the Procedure Ourselves
At WinterForest, all costs of the procedure — including surgery, anaesthesia, pain management, and recovery — are fully undertaken by the cattery.
This means:
No surgical costs for new owners
No need to arrange or schedule surgery
No post-operative confinement stress in a new home
No risk of accidental early pregnancy
No recovery anxiety for first-time owners
Your kitten arrives healed, stable, and past the vulnerable recovery phase.
Shorter Healing Time
Kittens recover significantly faster than adults.
Paediatric procedures involve:
Smaller incisions
Minimal tissue trauma
Faster wound healing
Shorter inflammation periods
Rapid return to normal activity
Young kittens often resume normal behaviour within 24–48 hours, with complete healing occurring quickly and cleanly.
By contrast, delaying surgery means:
Larger surgical sites
Longer recovery
More discomfort
Greater confinement requirements
Early neutering is physiologically easier on the body.
The Veterinary Standard Behind It
Early spay/neuter is the standard among top-tier preservation catteries with strong veterinary partnerships.
At WinterForest, our veterinarians:
Have seen generations of our lines
Understand the breed’s development and health history
Are fully comfortable performing paediatric procedures
Maintain excellent surgical and anaesthetic protocols
Work with us proactively on preventative health strategies
There is a significant difference between a one-off clinic visit and a long-standing veterinary relationship built on trust, data, and generational familiarity.
Our vets know our cats — and that matters.
Catteries with excellent health standings and transparent veterinary relationships are confident in undertaking early spay/neuter because they operate from knowledge, experience, and medical continuity.
Protecting the Future of the Breed
Breeding cats at WinterForest:
Undergo extensive health screening
Are selected from carefully planned lines
Are placed only within ethical, preservation-focused programmes
Are protected under strict contracts
Pet kittens are not breeding stock.
Selling kittens entire (unsterilised) opens the door to backyard breeding, lack of genetic testing, and long-term damage to breed integrity.
By placing kittens already altered, we actively protect the future of the Siberian and ensure breeding remains in responsible, health-focused hands.
Let Pets Be Pets
WinterForest kittens are placed as beloved companions — not breeding investments.
Early spay and neuter ensures they:
Avoid hormonal stress
Avoid preventable disease
Avoid behavioural challenges
Avoid exploitation
Live calm, enriched companion lives
Ethical breeding means making decisions that prioritise welfare over convenience.
Breeding should remain within carefully managed, health-tested preservation programmes.
And your kitten?
They deserve to be exactly what they were meant to be:
A cherished, pampered family member — free to live their very best life