Kitten season has begun and right now we have four litters of kittens and their moms at the sanctuary. I should mention that three of those mom’s came from the same house. There were three pregnant females and one un neutered male. The male has since been neutered and the three females all went into labor within days of each other.
A situation where there were four cats quickly spiraled out of control and turned into 17 cats. If there had been no intervention, I can’t even begin to imagine how many cats would have been born into this world. When we preach about neuter and spay, we do it for a reason and this situation is the perfect example. Seventeen cats could easily turn into 50 or 60. Do the math it would be cheaper to pay for one neuter or one spay than to feed 50 or 60 cats.
Ellie and her kittens at the Ark Animal Sanctuary. (Courtesy of Lorraine Monfils)
Of course the other alternative would be to open the door and just let them go and that is even worse. Many will reach out to rescues and then be upset when we ask the hard questions about why they didn’t neuter or spay.
The bottom line is that neuter and spay saves lives, it prevents cats from having unwanted litters. It is healthier for your pet. Unwanted kittens don’t end up living on the streets without the benefits of vet care, proper food and shelter and a loving family.
Despite all of the preaching and the low cost spay, neuter clinics there are still many people who will not neuter or spay, they will ignore that they are the problem. By neutering just one cat you will save hundreds of lives. For those who do not neuter and spay the next time you see a stray cat in need living on the streets, know that you could very well be the reason for that cat and its circumstances. Are you really ok with that?
Thank you for your continued support and as always thank you for reading our column.
