This cat is being prepared for neutering.
There are many people, myself included, who advocate having their cat spayed or neutered. Despite the ever growing media coverage of having pets spayed or neutered to prevent a feral cat explosion, there are still many people who choose not to spay or neuter their cats and that is their choice.
Too many feral cats is one of the most publicized reason for those advocating the spaying or neutering of cats. In many areas of the country where feral cats exist in large numbers, some neighborhoods are trying to avoid these occurrences by setting up community programs to provide low cost spaying or neutering. This is done with the hope of convincing cat owners to do the responsible thing and have their cat spayed or neutered and I personally applaud this sort of action. We have had the same sort of program running in our small town for many years and I have noticed a dramatic drop in the number of feral cats running wild.
According to 2008 figures put out by The Humane Society of the US, there are around 6,000,000 to 8,000,000 cats and dogs entering shelters each year. Of these animals, 3,000,000 to 4,000,000 are euthanized yearly and around the same number adopted to families. Interestingly, around 30% of dogs are reclaimed by owners but only 2-5% of cats are reclaimed. There are 4,000 to 6,000 animal shelters in the US to service all these feral or lost animals.
The cats that are euthanized are usually not old or ill, although some may be injured. Most are healthy and often you will find young cats, even kittens being abandoned. Their only crime is that there are not enough loving homes for them and with no owners to house and feed them, the relatively few shelters there are become overcrowded it is necessary to then euthanize them to solve this problem. In order to avoid adding to the overpopulation problem, all cats adopted from a shelter are spayed or neutered before you can take them home.
Life can be hard for cats in a shelter.
There are benefits for cat owner who has their cat spayed or neutered. Many cat experts and vets state that a cat that has been spayed or neutered will become a better pet. They are usually better behaved and more responsive to humans. Vets report that cats live longer and have fewer medical problems once they have been spayed or neutered. Because your spayed or neutered cat will be healthier, there will be fewer visits to the vet, a cost saving for you.
Many cat owners find that their spayed or neutered cats are less likely to spray, which is an annoying and smelly trait. Cats are also less likely to roam looking for mates if they have been altered.
Spaying of female cats is usually done around six month of age and general anesthesia is used during the operation. Neutering a male cat should be done by the time the male cat is 6 months of age.
Many owners of specialized pure breds will want to breed from their cat. Reputable breeders will belong to an organization and be certified to breed. Those owners will
not allow their pure bred cat the opportunity to get pregnant to just any male cat. They are closely watched and mated accordingly.
Some individuals choose not to spay or neuter cats based on belief that they should remain unaltered and in their natural state. This, of course, is their right.
To many caring owners, the decision to spay or neuter a cat is that it is something that should be done as soon as the cat is old enough. Remember, a spayed or neutered cat is usually healthier, which means your cat will be around for you to enjoy for many years.
Cats are truly beautiful but do come with responsibility.
If you are a novice or new cat owner, there are some common cat health problems that you should be aware of. Don’t be alarmed or worried, none of them are serious on their own, just things to keep an eye out for so they don’t develop into a problem. This beautiful cat appears to be in optimum health with bright wide eyes, alert expression and upright ears.
Probably the most common house cat health problem is hairballs, especially in long haired cats. Because cats are such clean and fastidious creatures, they wash or groom themselves regularly, often more than once a day. Cats shed a lot of hair and often it is swallowed during grooming. Sometimes the hair will clump into a ball and lodge in the digestive tract instead of passing through the normal way and being excreted. The only way he (or she) can get it out is by coughing it up, not a pleasant sound and frequently they’ll bring up some food or bile as well. Usually cats can remove hairballs without any intervention from us however if your cat continues coughing for more than a couple of hours and doesn’t appear happy or hungry, it might be wise to check with the vet to see if a hairball has caused an obstruction. Regular brushing by you will help remove most loose hair and will also provide a bonding time for you both. There is something really soothing in brushing a relaxed purring cat.
Hebe scratching. Fleas can be a problem.
One problem that I can almost guarantee every domestic cat owner will face one day is fleas. This is not to say that you aren’t looking after your cat properly, fleas can come from just about anywhere. They are great at jumping from one animal to another then irritating the new host. If you notice your cat scratching more often than usual, especially if it is in the same area, check for fleas. They are small black oval creatures and they bite. They also move around the animal’s body a great deal so the movement will also cause scratching. Check with your vet regarding treatment and try to get something non-chemical. You don’t really want to put chemicals on your cat’s tender skin or introduce them into your home. There are quite a few herbal remedies out there so also check your local pet shop or health food store. Cats can cause damage to their skin by continuous scratching at fleas. Be aware that when you do treat your cat, it will become agitated for a time and scratch more as the fleas try to escape the treatment.
Worms in house cats are another problem that seems to occur often. The main culprits are roundworms, tapeworms and hookworms. If your cat seems to eat a lot but doesn’t put on weight and always seems hungry, check the faeces for either white flecks or the actual worms. This one does require a trip to the vet to see which type of worm your cat has and the best method of treating it. Left untreated, it could be fatal. Again, try to find a natural remedy if possible.
If your cat hasn’t been spayed or neutered, they could be vulnerable to urinary tract infections. This is another good reason to have your cat spayed or neutered – apart from preventing unwanted kittens, it can help reduce the vet bills. Symptoms of UTI’s include not quite making it to the litter box or outside before urinating or stopping using the litter box completely, and very strong smelling urine. This is another one for the vet to sort out so organize the operation at the same time.
It is a good idea to have your cat checked out by the vet at least once a year. You have your yearly medical check-up and so should your pets. Vaccinations should always be kept up to date to prevent outbreaks of cat flu or feline leukemia. Keeping a close eye on your pet should help prevent any cat health problems before they become troublesome for you and your pet. Why not invest in Veterinary Secrets Revealed, which has been written by a vet who has practiced Veterinary Medicine for over a decade. I’m sure it will soon become a valuable resource that could save you a good deal of money.
