We are hopefully picking up a new addition this weekend, an exotic male kitten, he is about 16 wks atm and I was wanting to book him in to be done, rang the vet today and asked to book him in and was told they won't do castrates until he is six months old - I thought early speys/castrates in cats are not as problematic as dogs (bitch speyed at 4/ dog castrated at 2 here) as I know some breeders do them before leaving at 13 wks? Any advise appreciated Thanks

May be it is because he is an exotic - perhaps they have had problems with people finding that a rare breed kitten grows into a cat that could have been used for breeding. However if you are going to let yours outside then you really have little choice.

Not much help on when it can be done but I too thought castration could and is done far earlier than with a dog. May be you need to let him mature if you have showing in mind, LOL not sure why I replied because the answer is I am as much in the dark as you.

He most definately going to be done - he is to be an entirely indoor cat and purely a pet :) :) but hes a 'tom' and we won't want him to develop any bad habits lol - so its just a case of timing lol

When I had cats 6 months was the youngest they could be neutered at, just had to keep them inside till then and put up with any sexual antics till then, the females were worse than the males

Thanks - hes going to be permanently inside anyway so no problem there :)

http://fabcats.org/cat_group/policy_statements/neut.html

Found this article that may be of interest to future posters -  I will speak to my vet about getting him done sooner than 6 months

Please don't do it -there's absolutely NO need. You are getting a breed that matures very slowly so why the rush? Presumably it's going to be an indoor cat anyway. You will find your average male Exotic is not interested in calling queens until about 10 months old if that -I have one aged 2 who still has not mated -that is of course despite me wanting him to! They are not bad sprayers either when entire until much older, if ever. I'd say neuter at 8-10 months of age.

Lots of breeders and vets neuter at 13-14 weeks, (the reason is simply to stop people from breeding, nothing else) I did it once and never again -it was sheer cruelty with the poor kitten suffering badly as  result (he nearly died) and he was so terrified of being handled after his experience I had major problems as he was a Persian and obviously needed regular grooming. Still today (aged 4) he's terrified of car journeys after that journey to the vet -I've even had to stop showing him because if it, and he's my top winning cat ever.

I have a very wellgrown 7 month old Exotic male kitten here in the house, surrounded by calling queens, he's not the slightest bit interested yet. Exotics are slightly quicker at developing than Persians are but all in all the two breeds are probably the slowest maturers there are.

(I've bred Exotics since 1994 and Persians since 1989.)

May be it is because he is an exotic - perhaps they have had problems with people finding that a rare breed kitten grows into a cat that could have been used for breeding.

Not rare at all. :) Registrations have slipped a bit, as in most breeds, but they were number 11 of the 35 registered breeds in 2011.

Thanks Marianne, you have answered my question with experience relating directly to his breed - missed the 'rare' bit - not rare at all - hes our first pedigree kitten always had rescues that were neutered before we got them :) Hes a bit of a character I'm told and can't wait to pick him up :) :)

That is my fault ladies, as it was called exotic I assumed it was also rare, silly but then that's me all over.

I only have moggies , but I've always had them done at 6 months or so and there's never been any unpleasant behaviour.

I am with Marianne about early neutering, it makes me shudder.    

Well he's arrived and is a little star - hes been introduced to  Belle (moggy) - who sniffed and then turned her back and went to bed lol - he will be introduced to each of te dogs in turn over the next few days :) He will be castrated in time - breeder said his dad doesn't spray so hopefully he will follow suit but will be done around 6/7months at the earliest :) Thanks all for the advise :)