English Comp 1
2/10/12
Theresa de Souza
Spaying and Neutering: Should It Be Mandatory
I have been raised with cats all of my life but we never had a cat neuter or spayed. If one of our cats had kittens then we are responsible for taking care of them and we always managed to either raise them outdoors or find a home for them. Now that I’m raising a male cat indoors it’s a different view for me. I have notice 3 to 4 cats with collars on outside of my apartment complex that roam all day and night looking for food or mates and no one is taking care of them. The problem with the population of stray and homeless cats is overwhelming. Pet owners need to be aware of the benefits and consequences of mandatory spaying and neutering to help decrease the number of cats in this world, there are many facts that can be beneficial in having your cat neutered. Our pets can be healthier, have better behavior, and a decrease in the homeless cats and unnecessary mercy killings. We should find ways to let a person know and understand the benefits of neutering so they can share with friends, family, neighbors, and anyone they know who has pets. The lack of education, and misconceptions of neutering their cats and dogs is what stands in the way of people getting their pets neutered. Did you know one female cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 cats in 7 years but what’s truly sad is that six to eight million cats who enter shelters each year. Of those, three to four million cats are destroyed.(Maroff, M. 2009).
Sandie (my cat) has his appointment set for his neutering procedure this month even if he’s an indoor cat I have learned that it will help reduce the risks of UTI (urinary tract infections) and prevents prostate and testicular cancer, and greatly reduces his risk for perianal tumors. (PAWS, 2012). Having your cats neutered also decreases the tendency to spray or mark territory with urine. Which to me that would be the
References: American Humane Association. (n.d.) Spaying / Neutering. Retrieved January 24, 2012, from http://www.americanhumane.org/animals/adoption-pet-care/caring-for-your-pet/spaying-neutering.html Maroff, M. (2009). How to educate people about spaying and neutering. Retrieved January 23, 2012, from http://www.ehow.com/how_4848837_educate-people-spaying-neutering.html?utm_source=rcp&utm_medium=test22 Norman, W. (n.d.) At what age can you neuter a cat? Retrieved January 25, 2012, from http://www.ehow.com/facts_6979965_age-can-neuter-cat_.html Ringwald, E. (n.d.) The benefits from spaying & neutering your animal. Retrieved January 24, 2012, from http://www.ehow.com/about_6394041_benefits-spaying-neutering-animal.html?utm_source=rcp&utm_medium=test22