Spaying and Neutering - The Problem
We cannot emphasize enough the importance of spaying or neutering your cat or
kitten. Thousands of homeless cats and kittens are born each year and are
either euthanased or left to fend for themselves on the city streets.
It has been calculated that one unspayed female cat and her offspring can
produce, in a seven-year period, 420,000 kittens.
Abandoned cats lead short, turbulent lives and face death from freezing
weather, automobiles, disease, and starvation. Even if turned into a shelter,
only a small proportion of all cats and dogs each year are adopted; the rest
are euthanased.
PLEASE do your part by having your kitten spayed or neutered, or
adopt a shelter cat or dog and give them the loving home they deserve
The Advantages of Spaying and Neutering Your Cat The advantages of spaying or neutering your cat are many. These include the
following:
- Preventing litters of kittens can help save the lives of kittens already born
that do not have homes. Over 8 million cats and dogs are euthanased every year
in the U.S. alone because animal shelters and humane societies do not have the
facilities to accommodate all homeless pets. Letting a cat have even one litter
of kittens simply adds to the numbers.
- In addition to helping control pet overpopulation, sterilizing cats helps
eliminate the problems associated with overpopulation: large numbers of stray
and feral cats that die of starvation or are caught and sold for animal
testing, nuisance cat problems, such as spraying and defecating, and incidences
of cruelty to cats.
- Spaying and neutering reduces the risk of cats contracting diseases of the
reproductive tract. Spayed cats are also much less likely to contract cancer of
the mammary glands.
- On the average, sterilized cats live two to three years longer than do intact
cats.
- Owners of female cats can avoid the problems that arise when cats go into
heat, such as crying, bleeding, escaping outdoors and possibly disappearing for
good - by having their cats spayed.
- Having male cats castrated helps reduce or eliminate certain behaviours, such
as roaming, spraying and aggression, and the risks associated with these
behaviours, such as injury or death resulting from encounters with automobiles
or fights with other cats.
- Relieving cats of their hormonal drives allows them to relax and live more
comfortable lives. Because a cat is more likely to become affectionate and
friendly when not under the influence of sex hormones, it will be a better,
more contented pet. For instance, statistics show that spayed and neutered cats
are less likely to bite than are intact cats.
- Some communities have differential animal licensing programs, in which the
fees for licensing pets are based on whether or not the pets have been spayed
or neutered. For example, one community in Indiana charges a $15 fee for an
intact animal but only $4 if the animal has been sterilized.
(Taken from Cat Fancy Magazine, Feb., 1990 edition - author: W. Bradford
Swift, D.V.M.)
Dispelling Myths About Spaying and Neutering
Myth #1: Altered pets become fat and lazy.
This myth is simply not true - if an altered pet becomes fat and lazy, it is
not due to the sterilization but because the pets' owners feed them too much
and do not encourage them to exercise. Any altered pet fed in proper amounts
and that receives adequate exercise will not become fat and lazy.
Myth #2: It is better to let a female cat have one litter before spaying her.
No medical evidence exists to support the belief that having a litter is good
for a pet. It's just not true.
Myth #3: I wanted my children to experience the miracle of birth.
Letting a cat have a litter of kittens that may not get homes is really
teaching children that animals can be created and discarded to suit people.
Instead, parents should explain to their children that the real miracle is life
and that preventing the births of some unwanted animals can save the lives of
others. If you want your children to experience the miracle of birth, show them
a video - there are plenty available that show in detail the miracle of birth.
Myth #4: Some owners feel that their pets are unique, and by breeding them, they will
produce offspring with the same unique characteristics.
Breeding a special pet does NOT guarantee that the coveted traits will be
passed on to the next generation; in fact, the resulting litter could receive
all the pet's and its mate's worst characteristics! It simply doesn't hold
water.
Myth #5: My cat is a purebred, and this justifies breeding it.
Purebred animals should only be bred by a reputable breeder who has a
carefully planned and controlled breeding program. Twenty-five percent of all
the animals surrendered to shelters each year are purebreds - don't contribute
to this figure. (Excerpts taken from Cat Fancy Magazine, Apr., 1989 edition - author: Amy D.
Shojai). |
