Spaying and neutering your cat is a good thing. Many people do not agree with this. For some reason they think it’s a bad thing. Perhaps they feel the cat will be less than a cat if it is spayed or neutered. Getting a cat spayed or neutered is for his or her own good and yours.

Some people allow their cats to be outdoor cats. What happens when your male cat meets a female cat? They will add to the ever expanding kitten population! Before you know it, you may have a litter of kittens on your doorstep. Are you prepared for that responsibility? You’re probably not ready to take care of a basket full of kittens! You most likely will take them down to your Humane Shelter, give them away, or sell them. If you had your male cat neutered, you wouldn’t have a bunch of kittens in your home!

Having your cat spayed or neutered is a great way to keep the kitten population from expanding. Each year thousands of kittens are born. Some will survive, some won’t. The kittens could end up becoming the responsibility of others. It’s not fair to them or the kittens.

Some people use money as the reason they don’t get their cat spayed or neutered. This is inexcusable. If you can’t afford to the procedure, don’t have a cat. Furthermore, many shelters including the Humane Society, offer low-cost spaying and neutering.

Bonus: A cat from the Humane Society or your local shelter will already be spayed or neutered so you won’t have to pay for it.

The Human Society provides a “mobile” clinic that will stop at PetSmart or Petco. You can bring your cat to the “clinic on wheels” and have your cat spayed or neutered for a fraction of the cost of what you’d spend at your veterinarian. It’s a win-win situation!

Don’t be ashamed to get your cat spayed or neutered because there’s nothing shameful about it. You’ll be doing your cat a favor. You probably won’t breed your cat so you may as well get her spayed. Besides, in the years to come, it could become mandatory.

During kitten season, many shelters across the world see an influx of kittens. It becomes the shelter’s responsibility to find homes for these animals. It can become costly, but they do the best they can. Have your cat spayed or neutered today so tomorrow the kitten population won’t be as large and the shelters will not be overrun with kittens!

Rebecca

What is holding you back from spaying or neutering your cat?

Claw covers or soft paws for cats and kittens can save your furniture. They’re like “fake nails” for cats and come in a variety of colors. Your cat may need some time to adjust to the covers. Ms. Fluffy may attempt to claw at your sofa, but she won’t do any damage to it.

Instead of declawing your cat, put claw covers on him. Many people don’t know how painful and barbaric declawing is. I was given some handouts from the AZ Humane Society that showed how a cat is declawed. It was not a pretty sight to see. They chop off the claw at the knuckle! Ouch! This is very, very painful. Just imagine how you’d feel if someone chopped off your finger right at the knuckle. I thought so…

Dr. Christianne Schelling: “Your cat’s claw is not a toenail. It is actually closely adhered to the bone. So closely adhered that to remove the claw; the last bone of your cat’s claw has to be removed. Declawing is actually an amputation of the last joint of your cat’s “toes.”

Claw covers such as Soft Claws can be purchased at pet stores such as Petco and PetSmart. Check with your local Humane Society as well. Some of them may have a store where you can purchase the claw covers. You’ll be helping out the animals because the money goes back to the Humane Society.

Make sure you test one of your cat’s claws before you put covers on each claw. My cat Benny has sensitive claws. He’s managed to take-off the majority of his Soft Claws. When I put the covers on him he yelped. I’m working with him so he ONLY scratches the kitty furniture. It takes time and patience; he’s getting there.

Cats like to scratch. Before you adopt and rescue a cat make sure you’re ready for the entire package which includes scratching at furniture. It’s a possibility that your cat will leave your furniture alone. My cat CeCe doesn’t bother with the furniture. She has her moments, but I catch her in time.

Your cat may have sensitive claws like my cat Benny. Check with your veterinarian to see if there’s something else you can do besides claw covers. You can spray your furniture or put sticky tape on it but that’s not very attractive. You could cover your furniture to protect it. Ask your veterinarian for advice on how to deter your cat from clawing at your furniture. He may need to go to cat training. Is there such a thing? Good luck!

Rebecca

What color are your claw covers?

Before you decide to adopt and rescue a cat or kitten, make sure you’re a responsible cat parent. You may want to adopt a kitten but may not have the time to spend with it. Kittens need lots of play time and attention. Maybe your job will not allow for much time to spend with the kitten. You may want to think about what it means to be a responsible cat parent.

Adopting and rescuing a kitten or cat is a huge responsibility. They are like having children. You’ll have food and medical costs, provide shelter, engage in play time, and provide lots of love and affection. Assess your life and ask yourself, “…How will this extra responsibility fit into my life?” This will help you decide whether or not you’re ready for the additional responsibility of owning a cat.

Questions to consider before you adopt and rescue

Think about these questions before you adopt and rescue a cat or kitten.

• Who will be the main caretaker?
• What is your personality?
• What is the right age of a cat for you?
• How much time do you have to spend with a kitten?
• What is your estimate of veterinarian costs?
• How much do you think it costs to provide for a cat/kitten?
• What is your living situation? Rent? Own? Roommate?
• When you travel, who will watch your cat or kitten?
• What breed of cat and personality are you looking for?
• What types of allergies do you have?

These questions will help you make the best decision for you. Being a responsible pet parent means you’ll put aside some of your interests to adopt and rescue a cat or kitten. When you adopt from a shelter there’s a good chance that the kitten or cat may develop an upper respiratory infection. You’ll be responsible for dispensing the medicine which can be tricky. Remember when you were a kid and your mom had to give you cough medicine or penicillin? The label may have stated bubble gum flavor but it really wasn’t! Try opening the mouth of cat or kitten to get the medicine in them, it’s not that easy.

Before you drive to the animal shelter to adopt and rescue a cat or kitten, make sure you’re ready for the added responsibility both financially, physically, mentally, and emotionally. It’s not fair to the cat if it doesn’t work out. Returning her to the shelter will be stressful for her and you. Avoid this situation by being ready for a pet. Do this and you’ll have a happy ending!

Rebecca

How educated are you about cats?

I recently adopted a female tabby cat from the Arizona Humane Society. Before I adopted CeCe, I inquired as to whether it was better to have two males or a male and a female. I wanted to find a cat that was compatible with my cat Benny. I was told it didn’t matter. I’m beginning to think it does because Benny has become aggressive towards CeCe which has surprised me. He’s really a big teddy bear but for some reason he’s been acting up.

I introduced the cats slowly. In fact, CeCe developed an upper respiratory infection even though she was only at the Arizona Humane Society for four days. I kept her separated from Benny for over one week. As she got better, my vet said it would be all right for her to be around Benny. He was ok at first, but then all holy hell broke loose.

Benny was an only cat, and I recently found out that it may be better to have a one cat household. I was taken aback by this because most people have two or more cats. Plus, I’ve read on the internet that it’s best to have two cats so they don’t get lonely. Is this another myth about cats? I was told at the Arizona Humane Society that cats are territorial. If they’re territorial, how could you have two cats?

If you want to adopt a cat, you may consider getting two from the same litter. This way you’ll have a brother and brother or a brother and sister. Your life will be much easier versus going and adopting a cat from a Humane Society and praying to God that they get along.

Unfortunately, adopting a cat isn’t like adopting a dog. The Humane Society allows you to bring your current dog with you to see if he/she will be compatible with a dog you’d like to adopt. They won’t allow you to bring your current cat because they are territorial and it may be too stressful for them. I’m not sure I agree with this. Then again, there is the upper respiratory infection to consider. But, dogs at a Humane Society are known for getting “kettle cough.” Go figure!

If you’re considering getting a cat, you may want to get two from the same litter. It may be easier than getting one cat and then deciding further down the road to adopt another one. When introducing a new cat, be patient. It will take time. It’s just like bringing a new born baby home to meet its older brother or sister. Things may not go smoothly at first, but eventually it will get better!

Rebecca