Every year, hundreds of thousands of cats and kittens are destroyed because they are unwanted. Animal shelters that take in these animals and try to find them homes are overcrowded. With so many animals in need, they cannot support all animals indefinitely. The solution is not to open more shelters, but for cat owners to become more responsible about spaying and neutering their pets.A female cat can have two litters of kittens each year. The average survival rate is about 2.8 kittens per litter. If her offspring are not spayed or neutered,
result is 12 cats first year, 66 cats in second year, and at end of ten years, total would be 80,399,780 cats.
"Spay" is term used for surgical removal of a female animal's uterus and ovaries. When a male's testicles are removed, it is called "neutering." Both procedures leave animals unable to reproduce. Besides preventing unwanted pregnancies, spaying and neutering of pets has other benefits for cats and their owners.
Benefits of neutering a male cat
* Neutered cats are less likely to spray strong urine * Neutered cats will lose urge to fight * Neutered cats will be less likely to try to escape * Neutered cats will not suffer abscesses from fighting * Neutered cats will be less likely to contract diseases such as FeLV and FIV * Neutered cats will not be subject to testicular cancer * Neutered cats will not likely develop "stud tail," caused by overactive glands in tail * Neutered cats have a decreased risk of mammary cancer
Spaying a female cat prevents mating behaviors such as fighting and yowling/hyperactivity in females. Spayed cats don't roam neighborhood as much, protecting them from dangers of vehicles and aggressive dogs. Their tendency to stay closer to home also provides protection against deadly diseases such as FeLV and FIV. Finally, "fixed" pets tend to be more loving, because they are not subject to erratic effects of hormones.
