An ounce of prevention
Written by Carmen Dunn, former president of the Feral and Abandoned Cat Society, June 29, 2016
Fixing your pet can help prevent serious health issues
There is no doubt that domestic cats have it hard when it comes to abandonment and homelessness.
Trap-neuter-return groups, colony caretakers and animal rescuers see it every day. And yet, so many lives can be saved and suffering diminished, by simply having our household pets spayed or neutered.
A Nanos survey contracted by the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies in 2012 found that close to 5.5 million homes in Canada had cats as pets.
The total number of owned cats was estimated at 10.1 million, with only 80 per cent having been spayed or neutered. Any of the two million unaltered cats that were allowed to roam outdoors have likely contributed to the homeless cat overpopulation problem across the country.
Many people think that fixing their pets is unnecessary. What they might not know is that spaying or neutering your pets, and doing it early, is good for their health. Having your female cat spayed before her first heat and your male cat neutered before sexual maturity can help to prevent serious health issues such as cancer. It can also help to stop nuisance behaviours from developing, which sometimes lead cat owners to contemplate abandonment.
As humans, we often have imperfect reasoning for the decisions that we make. I hear the comment over and over from men in particular, that they are reluctant to neuter their male pet because they feel that they will somehow be depriving it of something. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.
The thing is cats and dogs are not human. They cannot make informed choices to use birth control to avoid unwanted pregnancies or to steer clear of testosterone-fuelled territorial fights resulting in lacerations, infections and vet visits.
For some pet owners, the cost of fixing their cats can be a deterrent to having it done. If you look at it from a different perspective, it is actually more expensive not to have it done. The cost of feeding a litter of kittens, and the cost to the community as unwanted litters taking up space in animal shelters, are much greater.
There are options available to pet owners to make spay/neuter surgery more affordable and accessible; sometimes it just takes planning and creativity.
If you don't have the cash right away, you can open an account at a veterinary clinic and put money down on a "lay away" basis for spay or neuter surgery.
Consider asking friends and family to put money on your vet account in lieu of birthday gifts.
If you are living on a qualifying low or fixed income you may be eligible for low-cost spay/neuter services through the SPCA Veterinary Hospital in Sydney. Call 902-241-2240 or email hospital-spcans.ca for more information.
As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
You can help to stop cat overpopulation and end unnecessary suffering by preventing your pets from contributing to the issue. And if you care for stray or feral cats outside, be sure to contact the Feral and Abandoned Cat Society to have them spayed or neutered too.
Fast facts
Reasons to spay or neuter your cat
Your spayed female will not go into heat. That means no more yowling and frequent urination, sometimes all over the house.
Your neutered male may be better behaved. That means less roaming in search of females in heat and less foul smelling spraying.
Your female pet will live a longer, healthier life. Spaying helps prevent uterine infections and breast tumours.
Neutering your male cat helps prevent testicular cancer and some prostate problems.
It is highly cost effective. The cost of your pet's spay/neuter surgery is less costly than having and caring for a litter of kittens.
Spaying and neutering helps to fight pet overpopulation.
Source: www.aspca.org
