Feral cat populations explode, especially if they are left un-neutered.
This is the number of kittens a pair of breeding cats, having two litters per year, could have in seven years. And imagine this number of feral cats living in your neighborhood, fighting over food and fighting each other. Cats have increased in popularity as pets because of their value as companions and this, coupled with their ease of care, make them ideal pets in today’s busy society. Cats do not need to be walked for exercise or taken to ‘training’ classes, they do not make a lot of noise or take up much room. There is no real need for a cat to be taken outdoors once it has been trained to use the litter box. And in busy cities, there are too many cars and dangers for the average house cat to deal with safely.
- • It is estimated that there are over 60 million households in the USA that have cats and over 90 million cats. This number does not include wild or feral cats. An estimate of cats born each day could be over 85,000. These numbers are from 2002 so are conservative for today’s figures. This has the potential to be a huge feral cat problem.
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• Los Angeles taxpayers alone spend nearly $10 million per year to house, feed, kill and dispose of tens of thousands of perfectly healthy but unwanted pets every year. More than 2,000,000 feral cats are homeless on L. A. streets.
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• The cost to ordinary Americans who fail to spay or neuter their cats, allowing them to breed uncontrolled, is growing astronomically each and every year.
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• Remember, one un-neutered male cat can impregnate many female cats. It is distressing for me to know that healthy, lovable kittens and cats are legally euthanized each day. It distresses me even more to know that people, every day, are disposing of kittens and cats by drowning them or throwing them out of moving cars or just leaving them in the bush somewhere. Not only do these cats become wild and often diseased, they prey on small animals and birds for food, destroying some native habitats.
Contrary to popular belief, it is not necessary to let your female cat have a litter of kittens before having her spayed. A kitten can get pregnant at approximately 4 months. One suggestion is to have all kittens neutered at 8 to 12 weeks so pet shops will only be able to sell neutered kittens and this will help reduce the problem of growing numbers of feral cats. Only licensed breeders would be able to have un-neutered cats.
The surgery, performed under anaesthesia, is not painful, does not have a long recovery, and prevents certain deadly diseases. Animals that are spayed or neutered are healthier, live longer, want to stray less and get into less fights.
It is a fallacy that male kittens ‘don’t need neutering’ as they ‘don’t have kittens’. As in the human world, one male cat can make many female cats pregnant.
In our small rural town, three ladies got together to tackle the problem of unwanted kittens. They fund raised in any way they could and arranged that anyone could have their kitten spayed or neutered for free through the group. Our vet undertook the operations at a minimal cost to the group and the fund raising paid for everything. In a few years over 400 kittens were sterilized at no cost to their owners, preventing a feral cat problem developing which in turn helped save many small animals and birds in our native bush.
You don’t want to be adding to the feral cat population where you live and once neutered, there won’t be tears from young family members when their ‘beloved kitten’ has to go to a new home.
I have noticed a number of ‘Trap, Neuter, Return Programs’ on the web. These programs do exactly what their name suggests and has been proven to greatly reduce the feral cat problem in their particular area. However, these programs cost money and it is usually the taxpayer who foots the bill. Your cat is like a member of your family and you want the best for it. You need to become a responsible cat owner and have your cat neutered or spayed, otherwise you will be adding to the ever growing and increasingly expensive problem of feral cats.
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. And if your pet is healthy and well looked after, hopefully it won’t leave home and add to the feral cat problem.
Continue reading about Feral Cats – Could You Find Homes For 420,000 Kittens?
A beautiful, healthy looking cat with clear eyes and upright ears.
Domestic cats make wonderful pets but don’t forget that some basic cat care is necessary. Cats are truly self-sufficient animals but do need some help from us humans. Cats can live for many years and by learning to understand your cat or kitten early and detecting problems before they become serious, will help in prolonging that life.
Firstly, take your new cat or kitten to the vet so your pet can be checked over and to make sure there is nothing wrong. Make sure your cat gets all the vaccinations it needs to have. This will prevent problems later if your cat comes in contact with other cats carrying diseases such as cat flu. While at the vet make an appointment to take care of the next point.
Have your house cat spayed or neutered as soon as they are old enough. Having your cat spayed or neutered will stop multiple litters of kittens to find homes for, and it will help your cat live longer. Two cats, over a period of seven years, have the potential to give birth to 420,000 kittens. That’s a lot of homes to find!
Play with your kitten often. She has left her birth environment and come to a strange place with strange people and furniture and everything will be overwhelming for her. She will be bewildered for a while. By playing with her you create a bond and this is a very important part of your cat care.
Train your new kitten to use a litter box with kitty litter. This is one house cat care tip that must be implemented as soon as you get your kitten home. It won’t happen overnight, but you will eventually stop cleaning up puddles or worse. Change the kitty litter in your cat box about twice a week and clean the litter at least twice a day. Cats are very fastidious and will not want to use a dirty or smelly cat box.
Even if the cat is going to be an indoor cat, never have them de-clawed. This is inhumane and incredibly painful for your cat. If they want to scratch at something, buy them a scratching pole or similar. There are many other ways you can stop your cat from scratching your furniture.
For more ideas on keeping your domestic cat happy and healthy, I strongly recommend Cat Secrets Revealed as well worth purchasing. Another excellent book just on the market is How to Make Your Cat Adore You. Remember, the more love you show your cat, the more love it will give in return.
Continue reading about Domestic Cats – 5 Tips To Keep Your Cat Happy & Healthy
