[canuckgirl]

I'm getting 2 Birman littermates. The breeder recommends not getting them altered until 8-10 months of age since this breed is slow to mature. They aren't old enough to leave Mom yet, but can come home at about 12 weeks of age. Since it's a boy & a girl I'm getting, I'm afraid of leaving it that long in case they decide to mate! I'd like to get at least one of them altered a little earlier than that. I live in an apartment & don't really have enough room to keep them separate. Is this a breed thing as far as the slow maturing goes & what harm, if any, may come with getting one of them done earlier than 8-10 months? Likely the boy, as territory marking would not smell very nice either.