Even though temperatures are mild, it’s a time of year when female cats will soon be coming into “heat” at be at their most fertile for having kittens. The Sacramento County Animals Shelter knows this situation all too well because every spring begins the onslaught of several thousand unwanted kittens that will fill the Shelter throughout “kitten season.” Now is the time to make plans to have your cat either spayed or neutered to help avoid unwanted overpopulation.
“One of the best gifts you can give your pet and your family is to have your animal spayed or neutered,” stated Dave Dickinson, County Animal Shelter Director. “These are routine procedures that provide great benefits including a longer, healthier and happier life for your cat.”
Anytime is a good time to spay or neuter. However, animal medical experts promote the fact that the earlier, the better as stated by the American Veterinary Medical Association. “The AVMA supports the concept of early (8 to 16 weeks of age) spay/neuter in dogs and cats in an effort to reduce the number of unwanted animals of these species.”
The University Of California School Of Veterinary Medicine at Davis states, “Spaying or neutering your cat prevents unwanted births and reduces the influence of sex hormones on your pet’s behavior. In seven years, an unspayed female and unneutered male cat can produce up to 781,250 kittens. Homes cannot be found for most of these animals and many either end up in shelters or on the street. Only a lucky few are adopted; the rest are either euthanized or die from trauma, exposure, starvation or disease. By spaying or neutering your cat, you do your part to prevent this tragedy.”
Currently, the County Animal Shelter is offering several spay/neuter programs including free spay/neuter for feral cats and $10 spay/neuter for domestic cats. They offer creative adoption promotions including $5 Feline Fridays to help encourage cat adoptions. Details to these programs and to view some amazing animals can be found at www.SacCountyShelter.net.
The County Animal Shelter is open Wednesday through Friday from 12:30 – 5:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from Noon–4:30 p.m. and is closed Monday and Tuesday and most holidays. The shelter is located at 3839 Bradshaw Road, one mile south of Highway 50.
