About 2.7 million healthy, adoptable cats and dogs—about one every 11 seconds—are put down in U.S. shelters each year. Often these animals are the offspring of cherished family pets. Spay/neuter is a proven way to reduce pet overpopulation, ensuring that every pet has a family to love them.
quoted from: www.humanesociety.org
What is a feral cat?
A feral cat is a domesticated cat that has returned to the wild, or the descendants of such an animal. It is distinguished from a stray cat, which is a pet cat that has been lost or abandoned, while feral cats have never been socialized. The offspring of a stray cat can be considered feral if born in the wild.
Without human assistance, feral kittens are expected to have a high death rate.
What happens if I don’t spay or neuter my cat?
Consider these statistics as to how just one litter can result in hundreds to thousands of unwanted pets:
| The Prolific Cat | The Prolific Dog | ||||
| 1st year | 3 litters = 12 offspring | 1st year | 4 offspring with 2 females | ||
| 2nd year | 144 offspring | 2nd year | 12 offspring | ||
| 3rd year | 1,728 offspring | 3rd year | 36 offspring | ||
| 4th year | 10,736 offspring | 5th year | 324 offspring |
Statistics from: http://www.sspca.org/program-services/spayneuter-clinic/why-spay-or-neuter-your-pet/
What is spay/neuter
The surgical removal of the ovaries and uterus of a female to prevent pregnancy or the removal of the testicles of males to prevent them from impregnating females.
Why spay/neuter
It’s good for your pet…
Spaying/neutering helps dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives by eliminating or reducing the incidence of a number of health problems that can be very difficult and/or expensive to treat.
- It’s better to spay your female pet before she goes into heat for the first time. This reduces the risk of breast cancer and eliminates the risk of uterine and ovarian cancer in your dog.
