If you have pets that haven’t been spayed/neutered, this is the time to make it happen!
The Spay/Neuter Awareness Month holiday was created by the Humane Society of the United States. The month of February is a time to celebrate this and two other holidays that work to put an end to the needless euthanizing of cats due to overpopulation. These are National Prevent a Litter Month, and Responsible Pet Owners Month.[1]
Did you know that spaying/neutering helps cats live healthier lives in several ways? Check out fast facts:
- Spaying/neutering lowers a cat’s risk for some cancers.[2] For example, being spayed or neutered at a young age lessens a cat’s chance of developing mammary cancer [3]
- Spaying/neutering reduces smelly spraying/marking[2], which is a big reason why cats are kicked out of their homes, end up in shelters, and very often are euthanized.[3]
- Spaying/neutering reduces running away, becoming lost, and roaming,[2] which means fewer run-ins with dogs, other cats, cars, and angry neighbors who don’t want a cat wandering on their property.
- Cats that fight with other cats often get injured or become infected with disease. Spaying/neutering reduces aggression and fights with other cats.[2]
- Probably because of all of the factors above, spaying/neutering increases a cat’s lifespan by 3-5 years.[2]
- Spaying/neutering prevents the needless killing of unwanted kittens by euthanasia. Each year 6 – 8 million cats and dogs are brought to shelters in the USA. Sadly, about half of these pets are euthanized rather than adopted.[4]
Prevent a Litter at Home
Have you recently adopted a cat? We hope that the above facts have convinced you to have your cat spayed/neutered. Maybe a stray cat has been hanging out where you live, work, or go to school. Even if you are unable to take in an outside cat, you can help the cat and your community by getting her spayed.
If money is an issue, organizations exist that will try to help you with the costs of spaying or neutering. For example, the Hawaiian Humane Society provides access to low-fee, donor-subsidized spay/neuter for owned dogs and cats, as well as Free-Roaming cats, through our Community Spay/Neuter Center.[5]
Four more quick facts about spaying/neutering your pet:
6. Spaying is the removal of the ovaries and usually the uterus of a female animal.[6]
8. Neutering is the removal of the testes in a male animal.[6]
9. Most kittens can safely be spayed or neutered at two months of age.[3]
10. Kittens can become pregnant at four months of age, so kittens should be spayed or neutered by four months of age.[3]
Prevent a Litter in Your Neighborhood
Have you noticed a gang of feral cats in your community? T-N-R (Trap/Neuter/Release) programs have been developed to capture cats in a humane trap, spay/neuter and vaccinate them, and return them unharmed to their original location.[4] Although some TNR projects are put into place by residents of a community, others are organized by special nonprofit groups (for more information, see neighborhoodcats.org and/or Alleycat.org). You can also contact your local animal control office to learn about your community’s laws regarding TNR.[4]
Sadly, about 11,000 dogs, puppies, cats, and kittens are needlessly euthanized every day in the U.S.[3] With some effort, we can work to decrease this number until every puppy and kitten born can be expected to live a healthy, full life.
Resources
There are many ways you can learn more about T-N-R. Find guides and step-by-step how-to’s at:
https://www.alleycat.org/resources/get-informed-discover-the-truth-about-feral-cats/
https://www.neighborhoodcats.org/resources/books-guides
Listen to podcasts at https://www.communitycatspodcast.com
Would you like to learn about other cat holidays? Go to Celebrate Cats
REFERENCES
- What Cat Holidays are in February? Downloaded January 20, 2024 from /cat-holidays-february
- Celebrate Spay/Neuter Awareness Month by Bringing in Some Animals! Downloaded January 20, 2024 from https://www.floydhumanesociety.org/blog/celebrate-spayneuter-awareness-month-by-bringing-in-some-animals
- Robins, S. (2024). Cat Health: 10 Vet-Approved Lifestyle Tips that Improve Every State of Life. Downloaded January 20, 2024 from https://www.catster.com/cat-health-care/cat-life-stages/
The National Humane Education Society. Downloaded January 20, 2024 from https://www.nhes.org/prevent-a-litter-save-a-life/
- Pet Animal Overpopulation. Downloaded January 20, 2024 from https://www.hawaiianhumane.org/helpie_faq/pet-animal-overpopulation/
- Ross University. Spay vs. Neuter: The Benefits of Spaying and Neutering Your Pet (2023). Downloaded January 20, 2024 from https://veterinary.rossu.edu/about/blog/why-spay-and-neuter-pets#:~:text=Spaying%20is%20the%20removal%20of,render%20pets%20unable%20to%20reproduce.
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