The article linked mentions (but does not cite) a study claiming that castration caused a 14 year increase in life expectancy. Could that be true in general?
No way. I defy the data; there is something extremely strange about that sample. My guess is that the unnamed mental institution where the study was conducted was killing its patients, through abuse or negligence, but let the castrated ones leave.
I did a little Googling. It seems that cats and dogs that are castrated do live longer than those that don’t, so lower testosterone might be correlated with longevity. I think, though, that the effect on patients in mental institutions may be greater than on the population as a whole. Mentally ill, institutionalized patients are often violent. Castration would tend to calm them down. It would lead to less fights, less time in isolation rooms and being treated better by the staff. That would all contribute to longer lives on average.
In any case, even if castrated individuals don’t live longer, it would FEEL longer.
It seems that cats and dogs that are castrated do live longer than those that don’t, so lower testosterone might be correlated with longevity.
My vet explained that this is because a castrated (male) cat doesn’t seek out risks, travel far, get into fights, or claim a large territory, as much as an non-castrated cat seeking to mate.
Do you know of a study that shows castrated cats live longer controlling for environmental danger, e.g. a study of indoors-only cats?
I haven’t found one. While searching I found comments that castration protects against testicular cancer, enlargement of the prostrate and related infections.
On the other hand, I also found a reference stating: ” two studies found that the metabolic rate of spayed and neutered cats is lower than intact cats” and that “:Spayed and neutered cats have an 8.7 times greater risk of developing diabetes than intact cats”
The article linked mentions (but does not cite) a study claiming that castration caused a 14 year increase in life expectancy. Could that be true in general?
No way. I defy the data; there is something extremely strange about that sample. My guess is that the unnamed mental institution where the study was conducted was killing its patients, through abuse or negligence, but let the castrated ones leave.
I did a little Googling. It seems that cats and dogs that are castrated do live longer than those that don’t, so lower testosterone might be correlated with longevity. I think, though, that the effect on patients in mental institutions may be greater than on the population as a whole. Mentally ill, institutionalized patients are often violent. Castration would tend to calm them down. It would lead to less fights, less time in isolation rooms and being treated better by the staff. That would all contribute to longer lives on average.
In any case, even if castrated individuals don’t live longer, it would FEEL longer.
My vet explained that this is because a castrated (male) cat doesn’t seek out risks, travel far, get into fights, or claim a large territory, as much as an non-castrated cat seeking to mate.
Do you know of a study that shows castrated cats live longer controlling for environmental danger, e.g. a study of indoors-only cats?
I haven’t found one. While searching I found comments that castration protects against testicular cancer, enlargement of the prostrate and related infections.
On the other hand, I also found a reference stating: ” two studies found that the metabolic rate of spayed and neutered cats is lower than intact cats” and that “:Spayed and neutered cats have an 8.7 times greater risk of developing diabetes than intact cats”
Well, that much I can certainly believe with utter confidence.