Help End Cat Overpopulation!

By Jennifer Herne, LVT

I have to say I am more of a cat person and I always have been. Everyone who knows me says I have a special connection with cats. They seem to sense that when they are around me. There is a saying that goes "Cats are like potato chips, you can't have just one." I have two "chips" but some day I would like to open a cat rescue, there are so many cats and kittens suffering without medical attention, shelter and even food. While I think that saying is cute, what isn't cute are unwanted cats left to fend for themselves after being tossed out because it has too many litters of kittens or unwanted behaviors such as spraying in unneutered male cats.

Here is why there are so many cats.

A female cat can go into heat as early as 4 months of age; while that isn't common it can happen. The usual age for a cat to have her first heat is 5-6 months of age. If she does happen to get pregnant her gestation for kittens is only two months. She can go back into heat anytime after the kittens are born. So in a span of one year that can produce A LOT of kittens! By the way don't think that by having a male cat you are off the hook and not producing kittens. We all know where babies come from and chances are if your male cat is not neutered and he goes outside he is helping add to the cat population. I know there are quite a few unspayed and unneutered cats out there because I see all the posts for "free" kittens on all of the online garage sales and trade sites.

Spaying and neutering has many wonderful benefits including: the best reason of all; less unwanted cats. Some of the other health benefits include: less fighting and roaming in male AND female cats, decreased undesirable behaviors such as urine spraying or marking, and longer life span due to decreased cancer risk.

Millions of healthy adoptable cats are euthanized every year because they can't find homes. Please get your cat spayed or neutered now because in a few months kitten season will be upon us and you. Help end cat overpopulation!

Do your part as a responsible pet owner and have your cat spayed or neutered. If you are struggling financially, help is available by calling the CATS Spay Neuter Program, 315-600-7413.