A female pet is spayed, which means her ovaries and uterus are removed. (Interestingly, it comes from the old French word espeer, meaning “to cut with a sword.”) A male is neutered, or castrated. Either operation can be done as early as six months of age, and some vets will do it even earlier. The word fix (not a technical term, and not one vets use) applies to either males or females. Cat owners seem much happier once a cat is fixed.
