11/21/2014
WHY SPAY AND NEUTER YOUR CAT
Article Written by Nomi Berger
The problem of cat overpopulation is a global one and
requires a solution on a global scale. But like every journey that begins with
a single step, this particular journey must begin with every cat owner in every
community, town and city in the country. Those conscientious owners who act
responsibly by spaying and neutering their cherished family pets.
Spaying (ovariohysterectomy) is the surgical removal of a
female cat's ovaries and uterus, while neutering (castration) is the removal of
a male cat's testicles. To minimize discomfort and pain, both procedures are
performed under general anesthesia. Most cats are back to their “normal” selves
within a few days, the surgery site usually heals within two weeks, and any
skin stitches removed by your vet at a follow up appointment.
Did you know that in seven years, an unspayed female and
unneutered male cat (and their offspring, if none are spayed or neutered) can
result in the births of a staggering 781,250 kittens?
And the inevitable outcome? Hundreds of thousands of cats
being euthanized each year through no fault of their own. Why? Because they are
the tragic, but avoidable, results of over breeding and overpopulation. Why?
Because there are too few shelters to house them and too few homes to either
foster or adopt them. Why? Because there are still too many cat owners
unwilling to spay and neuter their family pets.
Both intact male and female cats may try to escape their
homes in order to roam outside. Neutering your male will eliminate roaming,
urine spraying, and fighting with neighborhood cats. Spaying your female will
eliminate the estrus or “heat" behavior of yowling that attracts and
invites mounting by roaming males.
Despite some owners’ fears, spaying and neutering will not
alter their cat's basic personality – except many males will be less aggressive
and more docile. Their playfulness, general activity levels, excitement, and
vocalization will remain the same. Although neutered males and spayed females
may gain weight due to decreased roaming and other sexual behavior outdoors,
keeping them active indoors and managing their weight through diet will keep
this potential problem under control.
Spaying and neutering cats before the age of six months is
growing in popularity and the benefits to their health and well being are well
documented. Spayed females are less likely to develop breast cancer and won’t
be at risk for either ovarian or uterine cancer. Neutered males won’t develop
testicular cancer, and without the need to roam, their risk of being injured or
infected by other cats is drastically reduced. And males neutered prior to
puberty (six months) won’t develop the large head and thick skin of intact
males. Early spaying and neutering may also prevent problem behaviors before
they occur and may either eliminate or reduce certain behaviors in older cats.
Imagine if every conscientious cat owner in every community,
town and city in the country took responsibility for spaying and neutering their
family pets. Imagine what we, as part of the global community, could accomplish
then.
Please help us spay/neuter 500 homeless animals in 2015, Donate Now :)
Thank you so much to everyone for your generous gifts from our Amazon wish list!!
http://amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/14VUTQST8F5XH
Amazon often does not put packing slips in the boxes and they never give us your contact info so we are not able to personally contact you to thank you. Please know that we deeply appreciate your kindness and are very grateful to you for your support!
Pixie always love the boxes!
http://amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/14VUTQST8F5XH
Amazon often does not put packing slips in the boxes and they never give us your contact info so we are not able to personally contact you to thank you. Please know that we deeply appreciate your kindness and are very grateful to you for your support!
Pixie always love the boxes!
This list is from several days of boxes :)
| Thank you April Squires for the laundry detergent and dryer sheets! | |||||||
| Thank you Denise Smith for the cat tree! | |||||||
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