At the Central Aroostook Humane Society, we continue to see our cat population on the decline, which is a very good thing. When I started on the board of directors 25 years ago, the cat cages were full and every room was busting at the seams with cats and kittens.
It was sad to see, but our faithful staff cared for and loved every one of them until that forever home was found. Sometimes it took a while, months or longer, but eventually these kitties were lucky and each found a loving home to call their own.
With the help of a very generous grant, we started a revolving spay/neuter fund 15-plus years ago. That has enabled us to do our best at altering many of the pets “before” they are adopted. We can honestly say that those efforts have made a huge difference in the unwanted kitty litters in our area. We continue to offer free/or low cost spay/neuter clinics and have three clinics scheduled for September, October and November. There is no excuse for not being a responsible pet owner.
When you consider a 5-month-old kitten can have her first litter, that fact alone is so positively scary. For cats, the urge to spray is extremely strong in an intact cat, and the simplest solution is to get your pet neutered or spayed by 5 months of age before there’s even a problem. Neutering solves 90% of all marking issues, even in cats that have been doing it for a while. It can also minimize howling, the urge to roam, and fighting with other males.
Here are several myths about sterilization and the real facts.
Myth: Spaying or neutering will alter my pet’s personality.
Fact: Regardless of the age when spayed or neutered, your pet will remain a caring, loving and protective companion. Neutering will reduce the need to breed, and that has a calming effect on many animals. Any slight changes will be positive.
Myth: Companion animals will become lazy and fat if they are neutered.
Fact: Absolutely not! Overfeeding and lack of exercise make pets fat and lazy, not neutering. (humm… similar to us humans?) Your pet will not gain weight if you provide exercise and pay attention to food intake. Neutering is good for your pet, since sterilized pets tend to live an average of two to three years longer than unsterilized pets.
Myth: Sterilization is a dangerous and painful surgery for my pet.
Fact: Spaying and neutering are the most common surgeries performed on animals. With a minimal amount of home care, your pet will resume normal behavior in a couple of days.
Stop by the Central Aroostook Humane Society at our new location at 210 Cross Street in Presque Isle, or check us out on Facebook.
Please be responsible: spay and neuter your pets.
Gloria J. Towle is on the Central Aroostook Humane Society’s board of directors.
