ArticleThe Veterinary record2020
Contrasting practices and opinions of UK-based veterinary surgeons around neutering cats at four months old.
Article in The Veterinary record, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 9 citations in OpenAlex.
- Trial
- Veterinary-led interventions and owner perceptions of male cat sterilization: Insights from a community-based initiative in Malang, Indonesia.Veterinary world · 2025Article
- Long-term effect of neutering age on body condition score and bodyweight in domestic cats.The Veterinary record · 2025Article
- Domestic cat management in the UK: learnings from a global perspective.Frontiers in veterinary science · 2025Review
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
2 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundMany cats in the UK are not neutered before reaching potential breeding age. The purpose of this investigation was to understand the prevalence of veterinarians' behaviours around neutering cats at four months of age and to identify any needs of the veterinary profession on this.
methodsA sample of 483 veterinarians that completed a cross-sectional online questionnaire were included in quantitative and qualitative analyses.
resultsAlmost 70 per cent of veterinarians indicated they were comfortable carrying out neutering on cats of four months of age, and approximately half of veterinarians indicated they would recommend neutering client-owned cats at four months of age if practice policy permitted. There was no association found between these practices and geographic risk factors. Instead, neutering at four months was associated with the gender of the veterinarian, their practice policy and whether they routinely neuter unowned cats. Veterinarians have contrasting beliefs on similar themes, depending on whether they neuter kittens at four months or not, including differing opinions on general anaesthetic, surgery risks, owner compliance and their perceptions of neutering practices within the wider profession.
conclusionFamiliarity and experience with the procedure, alongside perceived norms, are central to beliefs. We also highlight informational and learning barriers.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.