Thread: Neutering...a step too far?

Hi everyone, I've just read 'Catlore' by Desmond Morris

[ame="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Catlore-Desmond-Morris/dp/0224025201/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293623703&sr=8-1"]Catlore: Amazon.co.uk: Desmond Morris: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31EE36Cca6L.@@AMEPARAM@@31EE36Cca6L[/ame]

which contains many interesting chapters about how to 'read' your cat. But I was surprised to find the author suddenly very scathing about the common practice of neutering and spaying non-breeding cats. He describes the practice as 'mutilating' and 'butchering' your companion, and even suggests that the much-publicised problem of cat overpopulation is a 'myth'. Well, this book was written in 1987 so it's a few years old, but I'm amazed that an experienced zoologist could have this view. Surely the RSPCA and numerous cat charities are not lying to us? What would be their motive?

Morris takes the view that it is cruel to deny your cat his or her sexual life, and we should allow our cats to live their lives to the full, even if it means inconvenience to us, the owners. By neutering/spaying, we are reducing our cats to mere 'toys'.

He suggests 2 alternatives:

1- Don't have the surgery. Just keep your cat indoors at rutting times. Hmmm, doesn't seem like a practical solution to me. How would that work for a male cat anyway?

2- Have a less drastic surgical procedure, ie, tube-tying/vasectomy. That way, the cat still has a sexual life but is infertile, so no kittens. Problem solved!

Option 2 does prevent unwanted kittens. So why do we not do this? I have never even heard this suggestion before. Is it because we want to remove those troublesome sex hormones as well? What are your thoughts?