Each year, three to four million animals are euthanized in shelters across the country. The majority of the animals euthanized are healthy, friendly, and highly adoptable; they are euthanized simply because there are too many animals and not enough homes. Pet overpoplulation is a heartbreaking problem, but the good news is, there is a solution. Spay and neuter surgeries prevent unwanted births and over time, if sterilization efforts succeed, euthanizing unwanted animals will be a thing of the past. Spaying and neutering has other benefits as well, not just for community but for each individual animal. Below are the top 10 reasons you should sterilize your pet.
1. Your female cat will live a longer, healthier life.
Spaying--the removal of the ovaries and uterus--is a veterinary procedure performed under general anesthesia that usually requires minimal hospitalization. Spaying a female cat helps prevent pyometra (pus-filled uterus) and breast cancer. Treatment of pyometra can be invasive for the cat and expensive for you; it generally requires hospitalization, intravenous fluids, and antibiotics. Breast cancer in female cats is almost always fatal. In fact, approximately 90 percent of cats succumb to the cancer. Spaying your pet before her first heat offers the best protection from these diseases.
2. There are major health benefits for your male animal companion, too.
Male cats, if left unneutered, are also at risk for cancer. Neutering--the surgical removal of the testicles--helps to prevent testicular cancer in cats, if done before nine months of age. Neuter your male cat early to help ensure he stays cancer free.
3. Your spayed female won't go into heat.
While cycles can vary greatly, female cats usually go into heat four to five days every three weeks during breeding season. In an effort to advertise for mates, they yowl and urinate more frequently, sometimes all over the house. Spaying your cat will prevent these behaviors.
4. Your male cat won't feel the need to roam away from home.
An intact male will do just about anything to find a mate, including escaping from your house or digging under or jumping over fences. And once he's free to roam, he risks being hit by a car and being seriously injured or contracting diseases from fights with other cats.
5. . . . and he will be much better behaved!
Unneutered cats may mark their territory by spraying strong-smelling urine all over the house; this smell is difficult to remove from carpets and furniture. To avoid the hassle of cleaning up after your intact male, make sure he is neutered at a young age.
6. Spaying or neutering will NOT make your pet fat.
Don't believe the hype! Lack of exercise and overfeeding will cause your pet to pack on the extra pounds, not spaying or neutering. Just like people, your pet will remain fit and trim with exercise and diet, so provide your cat with fun toys and monitor the food intake to keep your cat at a healthy weight.
7. Spaying or neutering is highly cost-effective.
The cost of your pet's spay or neuter surgery is a lot less than the cost of caring for a litter of kittens. It also beats the cost of medical treatment when your unneutered tom escapes and gets into fights with neighborhood strays, or the cost of cleaning the carpet that your unspayed female keeps mistaking for her litter box, or the cost of. . .well, you get the idea!
8. It's good for the community.
Stray animals and free-roaming unfixed pets can be a nuisance. They can cause vehicular accidents, damage the local fauna, and keep neighbors up at night by yowling and fighting. Spaying and neutering will not only make your community safer, it will make your neighbors happier.
9. Your pet doesn't need to have a litter for your children to witness the miracle of birth.
Letting your pet produce offspring you have no intention of keeping only serves to teach your children that animals are disposable. And even if you do find homes for the puppies or kittens, they are only taking away homes from the millions of animals living in shelters or euthanized in the United States every year. There are countless books and videos available to teach your children about birth in a responsible manner.
10. It is the best way to reduce the homeless pet problem.
Millions of cats and dogs of all ages and breeds are euthanized annually or suffer as strays out on the street. These high numbers are the result of unwanted, unplanned litters that could have been prevented by spaying or neutering. When you sterilize your pet, you are helping save lives! You can have your pet spayed or neutered at your veterinarian's office, or you can find a low-cost spay/neuter clinic in your area. To find a clinic near you, go to aspca.org/pet-care/spayneuter.com and enter your zip code. Remember, whatever price you pay for the sterilization, it's an investment in your pet's health and in the welfare of animals.
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