From what I've read, it seems it's not unusual in the US to get your kittens neutered significantly earlier than most vets will operate over here, despite changes in anaesthesia.

Moses, my boy kitten, is really big for his age (4 months, 27 days!) and I'm keen to get him 'done' sooner rather than later, especially since he has been giving his sister Jenny a bit of a hard time lately. Is there a way, such as a known database/directory of finding out about vets that are happy to do 'early' castration aside from the obvious ringing round every single vet in the area?

Hun, early neutering tends to refer to kittens that are as young as 6 -12 weeks.

Have you talked to your vet to see whether he is heavy enough. A lot of vets have the 6 months or at least 2kg in weight rule.

I agree with Hobbs, in the case of your cat (5 months old) that is not termed as early neuter. With shelter kittens, where the exact age is not known, they just normally go by weight and it sound slike your cat is over the 2 kilos. Though we do have one vet that insists on checking certain teeth, and if those teeth are changed (from baby to adult teeth) she will neuter.

I am sure your vet will be more than willing to neuter at 5 months, expecially if you tell him/her that he is hassling your female cat.

My kitten was neutered 2 days short of being 5 months old. He was quite large for his age weighing nearly 3kg when he was done. I just had to ring around, although I found one place near me willing to neuter at 4 1/2 months, the rule seemed to be 5-6 months.

It's certainly worth ringing around the vets in your area, you may find one on your first call
I don't know of any database but a lot of vets have websites these days and you could probably find out their neutering age policies that way rather than phoning.

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There will shortly be a database. The Cats Protection League has been getting vets to join a database of those who will be willing to neuter early, I think they're ready to publish it but I can't find it online yet. The CPL are all for early neutering because it would save so many unwanted pregnancies and therefore unwanted cats.
Just call the vets and ask if they'll be willing to do it, as long as he's not teeny tiny (which you say he's not!) then i'm sure most vets would actually do it now if requested.

I think it should be ok. My kitten is 5 months old on the 20th and we've got a pre-op appointment at the vets on monday to see if he's fit for it! My vets has the 5-6months rule so have a phone round your local vet surgeries

Cats protection said from 4 months but the vet was getting funny about it. I ended up getting him done at 5 months and a week because he was trying to mark teretory at that stage. Stopped afterward and was perfectly happy! As long as he weighs enough they will userally do it.

4-5 months isn't generally considered early age for castration, especially when they are acting much more mature! Most vets won't have a problem neutering at this age so speak to your usual vet and they are likely to go ahead now.

Thanks all for your replies! Sorry for not returning to the thread sooner - hectic week, but all appreciated. Doolally, your info's very interesting indeed!

I do know that what's conventionally referred to as early neutering is much earlier...hence the inverted commas around early in the thread title Most forums seem to prefer a shorter title that generally indicates the topic of your thread than a three line long spiel

The vet Jenny & Moses have seen before was very firm that the practice would not consider neutering either of them earlier than the six month mark, which I felt was very much from a "Because that's just the way we do things", since they were, indeed, beyond the age that neutering can even first be considered in some places & practices!

Anyway, to cut a long story short, Moses is all booked in for tomorrow and has just two hours ago had his last evening meal beforehand - he's going to be quite puzzled about the missing food bowl as the hours roll by - we are all night owls in this house! I'm sure something else will be puzzling him by tomorrow evening, but I'm very relieved to be getting this done and he's had a nice relaxing day today, so all's good