• Spaying a cat reduces the number of litters of kittens born each year.Cat image by Allyson Ricketts from Fotolia.com
  
  Spaying is a surgical procedure that removes reproductive organs in female animals to prevent pregnancy. Pet organizations, such as The Humane Society, promote spaying and neutering of pets to reduce the numbers of stray animals that need shelter and food. While spaying does lead to fewer unwanted animals, there are cons to the procedure.
  
  

Weight Gain

• Weight gain is one of the cons of spaying. Spaying causes a cat to require less food, since one result of the surgery is to lower its metabolic rate. Because many pet owners continue to feed their cats the same amount of food---and spayed cats need only about 80% of the food they required before the surgery---these pets are very likely to put on weight.
  
  

Money

• It costs money to spay a pet, since the procedure requires a veterinarian and anesthesia. Other medication is sometimes sent home with the pet to manage pain. Although some animal organizations try to lower the cost of spaying and neutering, it is almost never free. This is a deterrent for some pet owners who don't have the money to spay their pet. Shelters often spay pets before they are put up for adoption, which shows up in the adoption fee.
  
  

Danger to Your Pet

• Spaying is a simple procedure that can take 15 minutes to an hour. An incision is made in the animal's abdomen, and the ovaries and uterus are removed. Although spaying is a common procedure, there are still risks. Complications from anesthesia and from bleeding can occur after the surgery. Another possible con of the spaying surgery is that the veterinarian may be unable to remove all of the ovary tissue from the cat.