The Ward 1 Alley Cat Coalition
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Others are left to wander, and become:
If they do manage to survive these hazards and the elements, they soon attain maturity and bring forth five or six kittens, mostly females, to continue this vicious cycle. One female cat's cumulative kitten production in ten years could total more than eighty million cats!
(Note: Spay/Neuter information provided by Spay, Inc.)
The most important thing you can do to end this tragedy is spay/neuter any cats in your alley. Also, if you are a cat owner, please spay/neuter your pets. Every cat owner whose pet is un-spayed or un-neutered (and allowed to roam) adds to this terrible over-population problem. Communities that have established sterlization programs have seen the number of pets euthanized drop by 30 to 60%.
Spay/Neuter Advantages
When to spay/neuter
Cats and dogs can become capable of reproduction as early as 6 months of age and
should be spayed or neutered by age 6 months. Sterilization can safely be done before that age, as endorsed by the AVMA; the chief veterinarian of the Humane Society of the United States recommends 4 months as ideal.
Older animals can safely be sterilized as well. This routine surgical procedure removes the reproductive organs.
It does not cause the pet pain or stress, and most pets recover within a day.
Sources: PAW, American Humane Association, Humane Society of the United States, Cornell University's Dog Watch