Arizona’s Cat and Kitten Population Skyrockets
Arizona has the most cats and kittens turned into animal shelters than any other state in the U.S. The AZ Humane Society takes in thousands of animals each year. Unfortunately, some of these animals are euthanized because of health and or behavior issues (feral cats and kittens).
The kitten season in Arizona usually happens around May. So many kittens are born that they animal shelters take in hundreds each week. There’s no reason for the high population of kittens that are born during the season. People could prevent the overpopulation by having their cats spayed and neutered. Cats and kittens suffer because people don’t have the funds, are unaware of low cost spaying and neutering services, or prefer not to have their cats fixed.
People dump their cats and kittens for many reasons such as finances. The animals are not spayed and neutered which causes the cat and kitten population to explode. There’s no excuse because the AZ Humane Society and most Maricopa County animal shelters offer a discount on spaying and neutering. It seems to be more of a “cultural” issue for some reason.
Did you know? If two cats reproduce, they can produce four kittens. If those kittens reproduce, they can produce another litter of kittens. It’s possible to have 420,000 more cats in the world because people don’t have their cats spayed or neutered. Who’s going to take care of these precious animals?
For those living in the state Arizona, make sure to have your cats spayed or neutered. The AZ Humane Society and other organizations offer low costs spaying and neutering. The shelters in Arizona are overrun with cats and kittens which is not healthy for these animals. They suffer from stress and anxiety from being in a tiny cage and being around the other cats. Some of these animals were part of a family. They’ve gone from freedom to a cage; it’s very sad.
Keeping cats and kittens inside will increase their life span. Don’t allow them to roam around outside because they could get hit by a car, get into a fight with a feral cat, or get sick. Keep your cat inside because your cat could be contributing to the increase in the kitten population. To keep your cat happy, make sure you have plenty of toys and scratching posts. A window seat will allow them to look outside and soak up the sun at the same time.
Educating the people of Arizona is necessary. They need to know that cats and kittens are a responsibility just like children. Don’t get a pet if you cannot afford one right now or are not up for the responsibility. When you’re ready for for a pet (finances are in order), adopt a cat or kitten from the AZ Humane Society or Maricopa animal shelter. They’ll be grateful that you did. You’ll have a friend for life!
Rebecca
What can you do to curb the population of cats and kittens in your area?
