This is a myth. The only changes in behavior you’ll see are positive ones. Male cats tend to reduce their territorial spraying depending upon the age they are neutered. If neutered young enough, before they begin spraying, they may never develop the behavior. Neutered male cats and dogs fight less, resulting in fewer battle scars, contagious diseases and abscesses. And since they aren’t interested in pursuing females in heat, they also wander less, greatly reducing their chances of being hit by a car or getting lost.

Fat animals are usually overfed and under-exercised. There can be a tendency for an animal to put on some weight after sterilization, but the surgery doesn’t cause the condition. Male dogs and cats, in particular, roam less and burn fewer calories. If your companion animal shows signs of putting on a little weight, reduce his calories and increase his walks and play sessions.

Finding good homes for puppies and kittens is not easy. Many animals are discarded once they start to grow. In shelters nationwide, 6.5 million animals are euthanized each year because there aren’t enough homes for them. Further, you cannot guarantee that these dogs and cats will be spayed or neutered, much less remain in the same homes throughout their lives. For every puppy and kitten brought into the world by a well-meaning owner, another will die somewhere else, unwanted and homeless.

Frequently, animals go off by themselves to give birth, or do so during the night. While the birth of baby animals may teach children a love of life and living things, this lesson can be taught in many other, more humane ways. It should not be taught at the expense of the animal and her offspring.