Kitten Season Is Here In Full Force...So What Does That Mean For Us?

So people are telling you that it's "kitten season".  What is that exactly?  Well about twice a year rescues and shelters are inundated with kittens and pregnant cats because unaltered cats are mating and having babies.  Seems pretty benign doesn't it, but if you think that just two cats (one male and one female) can have over 100,000 cats in a 7 year period then it might not seem so benign.  Then think that those 100,000 cats are having over 100,000 kittens who are in turn having over 100,000 kittens in 7 year periods of time.  That's a lot of cats that need homes, are going to shelters or rescues, are left outside to fend for themselves and potentially being abused or killed, or being euthanized in shelters to make room for the other animals being dropped off because the people don't know what else to do with them.

So what can we as humans do?  Well the best thing to do is alter your cats (spay/neuter).  This does a couple of things for the cat.  It not only prevents more babies that nobody has room for but it also exponentially lowers the possibility of cancer.  I know it sounds strange but it is true.  I have heard a number of vets tell me this very thing.  Here's a link from the ASPCA verifying this information:

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/spay-neuter.aspx

Another things we humans can do is adopt from the shelters and rescue organizations rather than buy from breeders.  I'm not saying not to buy from breeders at all; however, there are a lot of unsavory breeders out there so if you do get your pet from a breeder please do your homework and don't just go for the cheapest price because there is a reason for the low price more than likely.  Even when adopting you should do your homework prior to taking your pet home so it really is no different.

If there are stray cats in your area then there are organizations who will manage the "colony" or will work with you if you are willing to feed the cats in order to spay/neuter the animals to keep the population manageable and show you how to make shelters, etc.  It's not as hard as you might think.  Here is a link to a great resource:

http://www.neighborhoodcats.org/HOW_TO_MANAGING_A_FERAL_CAT_COLONY

This is one type of feeding station for a feral cat colony.

We will probably never stop the cycle but that is what rescue people work towards.  What we humans can do to help is to spay and neuter the ones that are there and not only will it help slow the cycle but it will help the animals' health as well which is always a good thing. 

For those of you who haven't spayed or neutered your personal cats, talk to your vet about the consequences about that medically.  There are more pros than cons for having the surgery done and there are lots of low cost options around as well.  I'm sure your vet or local shelter can help you find one that is available to you.

Kittens are cute but they grow up and become adults.  Lets start looking at and talking about responsible pet ownership.  Educate the people around you because the people who read this blog and other blogs are already responsible pet owners.

As always, we welcome questions, comments and any topic you'd like to see discussed here.  Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook and tell your family and friends about us!  Thanks so much for reading.