Pet Care - Spaying Helps Prevent Cat Overpopulation
Between 100 and 150. That is the estimated number of kittens an unspayed cat can have in her lifetime. In just one year, an unspayed cat who is allowed to roam outdoors can have three litters resulting in 12 kittens. One year later, those 12 kittens, if kept unspayed, can have 144 offspring of their own. Cat overpopulation can be controlled if people learn more about how to keep cats safe and happy, which starts with spaying.
WHAT IS SPAYING? Spaying is a surgical procedure that removes the ovaries and sometimes uterus of a female cat with the intention of preventing reproduction. VCA Animal Hospitals characterize spaying as a major surgical procedure that requires placing the cat under general anesthesia. Most cats are able to return home within 12 to 24 hours of surgery. Even though spaying is considered a major operation, the risk of complications is very low. Spaying is a routine procedure.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES TO SPAYING? There are many advantages to spaying a cat, which can help with population control, reduce risk of reproductive disease, eliminate heat cycles, and help head off unwanted behaviors like roaming to find a mate.
AT WHAT AGE SHOULD A CAT BE SPAYED? The optimal age to spay is four to five months of age to catch the cat before its first estrus cycle. For cats in shelters, the optimal age could be as early as eight weeks of age. Spaying felines at an early age can reduce the large numbers of cats entering shelters and even prevent an assortment of health issues. ♥
