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Kitten Spay/Neuter
 A Tested Procedure
Whose Time Has Come

"The veterinary profession has for decades made 6-8 months the recommended age for neutering. There is no scientific reason for this age selection -- it has simply become a tradition."
 Dr. Jeffrey Young, "Paws To Think", Winter 2005

The sterilization of cats began in the early 1950s as they started to move indoors with the invention of kitty litter. As the story goes, people would bring them to veterinarians when they reached sexual maturity -- at 6-8 months old -- complaining that the females were yowling or the males were spraying -- making them difficult to live with. The vets had an easy remedy: spay and neuter them. Once sterilized, the cats settled in as good companions, free of the unsavory habits of intact cats. In the '50s, we weren't as concerned about the growing number of surplus cats -- most were undomesticated (feral) living outdoors and any homeless companion cats were routinely euthanized.

Cat Sterilization for Population Control
Fast forward to the present where cats are now the number one indoor pet -- about 85% of whom are sterilized. The pet cats that are not sterilized are typically in lower-income homes where the cost is prohibitive. They -- together with the large number of feral cats -- produce the many litters annually flooding our communities with more new cats than can be placed in homes.

We now know that euthanasia is an ineffective means of population control -- as the cats left intact continue to reproduce. Fortunately we also know that sterilization is both a more humane and more effective alternative. Its application, however, is hampered by our waiting to sterilize cats until they are 6-8 months old. This is especially true for outdoor cats who can be sexually active at 5 months. By the time they are "old enough" to be sterilized they are often in heat or pregnant which complicates or delays their surgery -- or worse -- have had their first litter. The outcome is no better for pet cats that are adopted out at 8 weeks, with the shelter or rescue relying on the guardian to get the cat sterilized later -- when they're at least 6 months old. The results are abysmal even if a sterilization fee is prepaid.

People get busy and wait too long -- or think it'll be okay for the cat to have one litter -- never fully comprehending the results of their actions.

Advent of Kitten Spay/Neuter
In the late 1970s, borrowing a practice used with farm animals since the early 1900s, veterinarians at the larger animal shelters started sterilizing kittens prior to adoption. Through their efforts, we now know that this is indeed a safe procedure. Follow-up tests and studies show essentially no health differences whether the surgery is performed at 7 weeks or 7 months. With this information in hand, the goal now is to get early-age spay/neuter into the mainstream -- where most surgeries occur. Large shelters account for only a small percentage of kitten adoptions -- most happen person-to-person or through small rescues that do not have a veterinarian on staff. Feral cat programs depend on local clinics for their surgeries too.

TLC Spay/Neuter Assistance
Healthy cat euthanasia -- the #1 killer of cats -- is a very preventable malady that can only be stopped by pro-active sterilization of all cats -- indoor and outdoor -- and the earlier the better. Our TLC/for The Love of Cats programs are dedicated to this mission. Locally we offer free spay/neuter assistance to both managed feral cats (regardless of caregiver income) and pet cats of families with limited incomes. Visit our web site for program details or call us for an application.

Cat News You Can Use
President Bush Signs Pet Microchip Bill
The 2006 Agriculture Appropriations Bill (HR 2744) mandates the establishment of a universal encoding standard for pet microchips. This would ensure that any lost pet can have its ID implant read and be identified through a national database. The provision was spearheaded by the Coalition for Reuniting Pets and Families formed by the major animal organizations including the American Veterinary Medical Association, ASPCA, American Humane and HSUS. The Coalition supports industry-wide adoption of open technology microchipping as used in Canada, Europe and parts of Asia where the universal 134 kHz International Standards Organization (ISO) system is used.

The US market is controlled by two companies -- AVID and Home Again/Schering Plough -- neither is ISO-compliant nor compatible with each other. Less than 5% of the 164 million pet cats and dogs in the U.S. are microchipped, compared to 25% of those in countries where standardized chips are used. Opening the market brings down the price so more pet guardians can afford to microchip. Microchipping is safe, easy and the most effective way to identify lost pets.

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