cat-E-corner.com

A QUESTION OF NEUTERING

    cat-E-corner.com has received hundreds of emails from people all over the world.  Many of the letters have to deal with whether or not their female cat is pregnant, how to care for her, and what to expect before, during and after delivery.  We urge you to have your cat examined by a veterinarian.  He or she will be able to determine pregnancy and will tell you how to care for your cat at this time.  We also urge that you have your female cats spayed and your male cats neutered.  

    According to the Humane Society of the United States, approximately five million cats and dogs are killed in shelters every year.  Millions more wander the streets as strays, reproducing at will and adding to the population of unwanted cats and dogs.  Their short lives are fraught with danger, hunger, disease and misery.  We at cat-E-corner.com have trapped, neutered and made pets of a few  feral cats and kittens.  Your letters indicate that many of you have done the same.  The ones we've saved have rewarded us with their companionship, love and gratitude and it saddens us to think that there are so many others that will not be able to know the security of a warm house, a regular meal and the love of a caring person.  

    There is a national effort, among cat and animal lovers, to eliminate every kill shelter in this country.  That means that we have to cut down on the population of unwanted cats and kittens.  Research has indicated that the only way to do this is to spay and neuter your cats and dogs.  Many cat owners believe their cat is too young to be neutered.  Some shelters are addressing this issue by neutering kittens and not allowing them to be adopted prior to being neutered.  Others have prospective adoptive families sign papers stating that they will neuter their cat or dog when it reaches a certain age.  However, the number of homeless cats and dogs attest to the fact that too many people do not have their pets neutered.  This, to us, is unconscionable and borders on animal abuse.  It cannot be stated enough times that the life of a stray is a miserable one.  The saving grace is that it is short, averaging about two years.  

    Neutered cats and dogs are healthier and less prone to diseases that plague those that have not been neutered.  Pets that have not been neutered are more prone to behavior problems.  

    Kittens and puppies are adorable, and it's beyond cruel when they have to fight everyday of their lives just to survive.  Be kind to your pets and to the greater cat and dog population.  Have your pet spayed or neutered.  If cost is a consideration, please take your animal to a shelter where they offer low-cost spaying and neutering.  The Yellow Pages can be a great source of information regarding this.  

    Let's all  join this effort to eliminate kill shelters by having our pets spayed and neutered.  We'll be able to enjoy their longer, healthier lives and we'll be doing the stray population a great service as well.  

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