World Spay Day is February 26th. Spaying and neutering your feline companion is not only healthier for them, it is also an important step in controlling the population of stray animals.
Approximately 3-4 million animals are euthanized each year in shelters because of this over-population. A healthy cat can average 1 to 2 litters per year with 4 to 6 kittens per litter*. That means if there are 10 stray female cats in your area, they have the potential to produce 120 kittens in 1 year! Spaying and neutering can also help your cat to live a healthier life by reducing the chance of breast cancer and eliminating ovarian cancer in females, and eliminating testicular cancer in males.
The many stray cats in the world have a huge impact on the local wildlife as well. Domestic cats are natural (and very good) hunters, and have been reported to kill up to 1 million birds per day. The National Wildlife Federation also found that the domestic cat is now the most abundant carnivore in North America**. They can also spread a number of life-threatening diseases and viruses to the native wildlife, and to humans.
If you haven't already, please consider spaying or neutering your feline friend. Call us today with any questions you may have, and let us share with you the steps we take to ensure your cat's continued health!
* Source: Stewart, Portia, "5 tips to put lids on litters", Firstline, January 2013 p. 16-17.
** Source: Tangley, Laura, "New studies highlight impact of outdoor cats on birds and other wildlife", National Wildlife Federation website (nwf.org), March 16 2011.