Neutering and Spaying - For the Welfare of Animals

Hello, My name is Michal, and I am reaching out to you with a question regarding Halacha and animal suffering. I have two cats – a male and a female, about 8 months old. Recently, I noticed unusual behavior in the female cat: she started licking carpets and even eating sand from her litter box. After consulting with an expert, it turned out that this might be a response to stress, lack of environmental stimulation, or even an expression of physical or mental distress. At the same time, the male cat began showing signs of heat, trying to mate with the female – and she seems to be avoiding it. This adds to the stress she is experiencing, and I am very concerned about her mental and physical health. It is important to note that I previously had a cat who passed away due to kidney failure, and I was told by a veterinarian that neutering might have prevented the condition. Therefore, I feel a moral and medical obligation to do everything possible to prevent a recurrence of this situation – including spaying the female cat and neutering the male cat. I am aware that neutering animals is prohibited for Jews according to Halacha, so I explored options to circumvent the prohibition – such as handing over the cat to a non-Jew to perform the procedure. However, I am struggling to find such a non-Jew, despite the desire to do this according to Halacha. I seek your halachic opinion: In such a situation, where it involves animal suffering, is it permissible to be lenient with neutering (or spaying) in some way? Is there a way you could guide me on how to act without violating prohibitions, while still maintaining the health and welfare of the animals? Thank you very much in advance for your time and attention, Best regards, Michal

Hello

A female can be spayed by a non-Jew in cases of great need, but a male should not be neutered, and even through a non-Jew instructing another non-Jew, it is not simple to permit.

See all details in Even HaEzer, Siman 5.