Opinions of veterinarians about the age at which kittens should be neutered.

The mean age recommended by veterinary practices for neutering kittens is 22.6 weeks, with only 28 per cent of veterinarians considering it appropriate to neuter 12- to 16-week-old kittens. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify variables associated with veterinarians' opinion that 12 to 16 weeks is an appropriate age at which to neuter kittens. Significant risk factors included time since graduation, perception of the problem of there being too many unwanted domestic cats and their practice's policy on the recommended neutering age. Veterinarians who thought that neutering eight- to 11-week-old rescue kittens before homing was justified and veterinarians who had neutered 12- to 16-week-old domestic kittens within the previous year were more likely to consider that neutering 12- to 16-week-old kittens was appropriate. Veterinarians who thought that surgical complications, anaesthetic complications and lower urinary tract disease were, or might be, more likely to occur in kittens neutered at 12 to 16 weeks than in those neutered at six months of age, were significantly less likely to think that neutering 12- to 16-week-old kittens was appropriate.