Preventing unwanted litters is, of course, one of the main purposes of spaying and neutering. These simple procedures do so much more, though. For female pets, spaying lowers the risk of breast cancer and eliminates the possibility of uterine and ovarian cancer as well as Pyometra. And neutering eliminates the risk of testicular cancer and lowers the risk of prostate problems in males. Spaying and neutering also lower the risk of endocrine disorders, such as diabetes, and hormone problems.
In addition, having your companion spayed or neutered can make them easier to live with by reducing or eliminating troublesome behaviors like roaming, yowling, aggression, and spraying.