How to bring about
      the most important thing
      for your cat and all cats        


    Neutering
    Even though 80% of cats are neutered, ten times more kittens than humans are
    born each year.  There’s not a market for so many kittens.  The most important
    thing to do is to have your cat neutered.  
    Non-neutered or complete cats over six months of age spend the majority of their
    time trying to find a mate and, if female, raising the kittens.  Your adult cat doesn’t
    want to have her babies euthanized, and neither do we.  The only way to prevent
    that is to neuter all cats.  
    Veterinarians recognize this and volunteer their time and expertise to hold low-
    cost, no-profit clinics, so as to encourage owners to get their cats neutered.  
    Animal shelters get their cats neutered before they’re placed in a home.      
    You can keep a complete (not-neutered) cat in your home, away from the opposite
    sex, but what you’ll experience won’t be pleasant.  Males and females yowl loudly
    for their mate, day and night.  If you have an oriental-type cat, like a Siamese, it
    will be extremely loud.  Males fight for the opportunity to mate and will spray their
    territory, whether they’re indoors or not.  The spray has an odor you won’t be able
    to tolerate, nor is it easily removed.  
    Neutered cats get along with other cats better.  Neutering is the right thing to
    do.       
    Here’s what happens.

    The female
    Veterinarians put the female cat under general anesthesia and perform abdominal
    surgery to remove the uterus and ovaries.  This is called spaying.  It can be done
    anytime after the cat is two months old, hopefully before it’s let out of the house.  
    The cat is released to the owner at the end of the day.    

    The male
    In the case of the male cat, the veterinarian will also use general anesthesia and
    drain the testicles, leaving the scrotum or sac.  This is called castration or
    neutering.  Males can have this surgery any time after four months of age and
    hopefully before they're let out of the house.  
    It’s the most important thing you can do for your cat and all cats.  Your cat will be
    happier and more content.  























    Declawing
    Speaking of surgery, there’s controversial surgery that some cat owners consider--
    declawing—so the cat won’t be able to scratch the owner’s furniture.  

    Here’s what happens.  
    The veterinarian places the cat under general anesthesia and surgically amputates
    the last joint of all the toes.  The cat can go home at the end of the day, but will be
    quite uncomfortable walking and eating for several days.  Afterwards, the cat
    cannot be let outdoors because it has lost one of the main abilities of scratching to
    defend itself, nor can it climb to safety.                

    Take a look at your hand.  Imagine having the last joint amputated on each finger.  
    My feeling is that this surgery is a last resort, only to be done if the owner’s family
    can’t take the time to train the cat to claw on a scratching post and can’t tolerate
    the damage the cat does to furniture.  If it’s a choice between euthanizing the cat
    or declawing it, well then, do it.  Otherwise avoid this surgery.  
How to bring about the
most important thing