Spaying refers to sterilizing a female cat (or any animal) by removing the ovaries, whereas neutering is the removal of the testicles in male cats (and other animals). This essentially means that your cat will not be able to mate and have kittens. Female cats typically reach sexual maturity at six months of age, and males at 7-8 months. Both genders are mature enough for the sterilisation, or birth control surgery at six months of age (this is done at a much earlier age abroad, but in India, it is typically done at six months for both male and female cats and dogs). The surgery is performed under general anaesthesia. It is advisable to get the cat examined by the veterinarian first, to make sure it's healthy enough to undergo the surgery. Please follow the instructions of the vet carefully, and keep your pet empty stomach for 8 hours prior to the surgery. The procedure for female cats is a bit more complicated as compared to male cats, and the recovery period post operation r...