WHY YOU SHOULD SPAY/NEUTER YOUR CAT

There are many health benefits to spay/neuter:

• Spay/neuter surgery has health and behavior benefits. It removes reproductive organs that often cause cats to have medical problems in later life.

• Spaying reduces the risk that a female cat will suffer from mammary tumors and uterine cancer or uterine infections. It eliminates the risk of complications from pregnancy.

• Neutered males won't develop prostate problems or testicular cancer.

• Altered animals are more relaxed pets, they are not driven to mate and are less inclined to defend territory. They are less apt to fight with other animals. They are not as likely to roam, so there's less chance they will get lost, injured or killed.

• Altered cats are less inclined to spray.

• Altered cats have fewer behavior issues.

• Contrary to popular belief, altering does not spoil your pet's personality. Nor does it make your pet fat and lazy.

• Spay/neuter surgery also has humane benefits. It saves lives by preventing unwanted litters and homeless animals.

• On average, your pet will live several years longer if spayed or neutered than unaltered pets.

WHY ALL CATS SHOULD BE SPAYED/NEUTERED

In 2010, over 3,500 cats were euthanized at the Martinez shelter. There are two reasons that many were killed.
 

1. There are too many adoptable cats born in Contra Costa county and not enough homes to adopt them each year.
 

• CSN helps families spay their pets before a litter is born so that all adoptable kittens can find a home. With no excess, none will need to be killed.

2. There are too many feral and homeless cats on the street. At the shelter, if labeled untreatable/ unadoptable they are killed. (Some of these are friendly but so scared that they are labeled feral and therefore "unadoptable").
 

• CSN helps residents get these cats in the neighborhoods spayed and neutered so the problem will not grow.
• Feeding these altered cats gives them quality of life and good health without re-producing.

Cat Support Network believes the best way to address the feline overpopulation problem is to help cats BEFORE they reach the shelter. That is why our volunteers help alter the cats in the neighborhoods.
 Lives can be saved and the quality of life improved for the residents and cats in Contra Costa County if we can curb overpopulation in our neighborhoods. That means getting the female cats spayed BEFORE they have a litter.