Wordy Wednesday: 7 Reasons to Spay and Neuter

Given that yesterday was World Spay Day, mommy and I thought it was appropriate to list some great reasons why everybody should spay or neuter their fur babies.

1. Spaying female cats helps them live longer, healthier lives: According to the ASPCA, spaying a female cat before her first heat cycle is the best way to prevent breast cancer and uterine infections.  These diseases are fatal for 90% of cats.

2. Spaying and neutering helps reduce pet overpopulation: According to the Humane Society of the United States, six to eight million animals enter shelters each year.  While half of these companions find loving forever homes, the other half are tragically euthanized.  It's heartbreaking to think that so many wonderful, loving, sweet companions are being euthanized each year.

3. Neutering your male cat will not make him fat: It's a myth that neutering your male kitty will make him get fat.  The truth is, if you monitor your cat's food intake and provide him with opportunities to exercise regularly, your kitty won't become overweight.

In fact, Carmine was neutered as a young kitten (he was neutered before I adopted him and he was four months old when he came to live with us), and he's never been overweight.  He's eight years old now and weighs a health 9 pounds, 7 ounces.

4. Neutering provides your male with health benefits: Getting your male cat neutered before he turns six months old prevents the development of testicular cancer later in life.  Additionally, About asserts neutering reduces the risk of male cats developing mammary cancer.

5. Spaying eliminates the heat cycle for females: Female cats tend to cry and pace when they are in heat.  When you eliminate a female cat's heat cycle, you will also eliminate these behaviors.  It is important to note that female cats do not need to have a litter of kittens before they are spayed.

6. Neutering improves mancat behavior: Neutering prevents many problem behaviors in mancats.  For instance, neutered males are less likely to spray.  They are also less likely to be aggressive or try to escape.

7. Spaying and neutering is cost-effective: There are many low-cost spay and neuter clinics available in the United States today.  Please check out our "Low Cost Spay and Neuter" page to find one near you.

Spaying or neutering your cat is cheaper than taking care of a litter of kittens.  Additionally, because your male cat won't feel a need to roam, he is much less likely to get into fights with other cats in the neighborhood, which reduces the possibility of needing to take your cat to the vet for fight-related injuries.

Spaying and neutering provides many benefits to your cat.  We hope that you will help reduce animal overpopulation and give your kitty a longer, healthier life by spaying or neutering him or her.

Sources:

About: Reasons for Spay and Neuter of Cats

Humane Society of the United States: Why You Should Spay or Neuter Your Pet

ASPCA: Top 10 Reasons to Spay or Neuter Your Pet

Nature's Variety Pet Food Recall

First, it was brought to our attention that the word verification on comments was on for comments on this blog.  We turned it OFF, and we are sorry about any inconvenience anyone has experienced leaving comments.  

Second, we wanted to make sure everyone was aware of a food recall by Nature's Variety.  Nature's Variety voluntarily recalled one batch of Instinct Raw Organic Chicken Formula dog and cat food with a "Best if Used By" date of 10/4/13.  

There may be pieces of plastic in some bags of cat and dog food, which could pose a choking hazard to pets.  The company asserts that the source of the problem has been identified and resolved.

Included in the one batch of recalled food are:

• UPC# 7 69949 60137 1 - Instinct Raw Organic Chicken Formula medallions, 3 pound bag.
• UPC# 7 69949 70137 8 - Instinct Raw Organic Chicken Formula medallions, 27 pound case.
• UPC# 7 69949 60127 2 - Instinct Raw Organic Chicken Formula patties, 6 pound bag.
• UPC# 7 69949 70127 9 - Instinct Raw Organic Chicken Formula patties, 36 pound case.

All recalled products contain a "Best if Used By" date of 10/4/13.  You can find the "Best if Used By" date on the back of the bag under the "Contact Us" information.  

The recalled batch was sold in retail stores as well as online in the United States and Canada.  So far, there have been no reports of any pets being injured or harmed.

Anyone feeding the recalled product should stop, and watch their pet's health.  Take your pet to the veterinarian if any health concerns arise.  

You can exchange your bag of recalled food or get a full refund for it by bringing the recalled food in its original packaging or proof of purchase back to the retailer where you bought it.  

If you have any questions, you may contact Nature's Variety Customer Relations team Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM Central Standard Time at 1-888-519-7387.  

Source:

Cat Channel: Cat Food Recall: Nature's Variety 

Interview with PAWS

Mom and I had the wonderful opportunity to interview Kevin (meowmeowmans) of Animal Shelter Volunteer Life about PAWS.  We are very excited to share the interview with all of you!

Carmine: First, can you tell us a little about PAWS - when did the shelter open?  What is the shelter’s mission? 

Kevin: PAWS (Pet Animal Welfare Society), a privately funded, 501(c)3 non-profit, no-kill animal shelter located in Norwalk, CT, is dedicated to rescuing homeless animals and placing them in loving new homes. Since opening in 1962, PAWS has rescued, rehabilitated and re-homed thousands of stray, neglected, abused and abandoned animals.  Many of the pets who come to PAWS would be turned away from other shelters because of illness or other “imperfections.”  PAWS rarely refuses to accept an animal.  It’s something that sets this shelter apart from many others.

 

Dottie

Carmine: I think that is wonderful!  Mommy adopted me from a no-kill       shelter, too.  

Mommy and I looked around the PAWS website and noticed that PAWS has both cats and dogs for adoption.  On average, how many dogs and cats do you have at the shelter for adoption on any given day?

Kevin: Tracey and I work strictly with the cats, but yes, PAWS has dogs for adoption, too! On average, there are about 20 dogs and 90 cats at PAWS.

Ian

Carmine: How long can a cat or dog stay at PAWS?

Kevin: Animals stay at PAWS for as long as it takes for them to find their forever homes.  Some are adopted quite quickly.  Others are at the shelter for months, or even years, until they are adopted.  For instance, Oracle the Cat just found her forever family after FOUR YEARS of waiting at PAWS!

 

Carmine: That is so good to hear.  I am very glad Oracle finally found a forever home!  I hope she and her new people have many happy years together. 

Do you have any special needs or senior companions available for adoption?

Kevin: Yes, we have a number of seniors and special needs animals.  Among them are:

• Dottie, a beautiful, blind senior kitty
• Sophia, a sweet senior lapcat who is hyperthyroid
• Lanie, a sweet, playful and affectionate senior dog 
• Ian, a handsome, snuggly and silly FIV-positive mancat
• Zoey and Gracie, sweet senior kitty sisters

Lanie

Carmine: Those are some precious babies!  We are so glad PAWS cares for seniors and special needs cats and dogs while they wait for their loving forever homes.

What do you look for in a potential pet parent?

Kevin: The PAWS adoption process is very thorough, and begins with filling out a very detailed adoption application.  Potential pet parents are also required to meet at least once with a PAWS adoption counselor at the shelter.  Some people might find the process intrusive, or too long, but it is based in PAWS’ desire to make sure the animals are going to the very best homes possible, and that they will be loved and well-cared for forever.

Carmine: It's great that you screen adoptive parents so well to find the best forever homes for all the cats and dogs at PAWS.

How do you keep the fur babies comfortable and content while they wait on forever homes at PAWS?

Kevin: The PAWS volunteers and staff socialize with, play with, and interact with the animals every day.  This provides stimulus for the animals, and also helps us get to know their personalities, behaviors and such.  Knowing the animals on a deeper level gives us a better idea about which kind of home will be the best fit. It also helps the animals get comfortable with people, which makes them more adoptable.  As far as living arrangements are concerned, all of the dogs have two-sided kennels, get walked several times per day, and get play time in the fenced-in yard.  Cats who get along with others live in “open” rooms (with other cats, not to mention sofas, tables and cat furniture!).  Cats who are not as fond of others, or who have special needs that make living in an open room impractical, live in two-sided cages with shelves.  The cats in cages are rotated "out" throughout the day to makes sure they get to run around, stretch their legs, and socialize with their human pals. 

Oracle

Carmine: Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about PAWS?

Kevin: As with any nonprofit, donations and volunteers are always needed.  If you want to learn more about volunteering or donating to PAWS, click here.  And you can also check out the three blogs written by PAWS volunteers about animals at the shelter: Animal Shelter Volunteer Life and Sundays at the Shelter are about the cats of PAWS, and Scratch My Belly is about the PAWS dogs. Last, but certainly not least, if you’re looking for a new best friend and live within reasonable driving distance from Norwalk, CT, be sure to check out PAWS.

Carmine: Thank you so much for your time, Kevin!  We hope that everyone will go visit the blogs and that anyone interested in adopting in the Norwalk, CT area will consider adopting from PAWS!

Welcome to Carmine's Orange Pages!

Welcome to Carmine's Orange Pages - CATS A 2 Z.

Please feel free to copy our badge ~ and we'll be appreciative

of bloggers who post this to their own blogs!  Thank you very much!

Hi everyone, Carmine here.

When my mom adopted me from a shelter when I was just a baby, she had no idea what a special kitty I am!  Not only am I loving, sensitive, and playful, I have what mom calls "special needs."  She says this means that I have medical needs that not all kitties have.

I was pretty healthy up until the age of four.  One day mom saw me struggling in my box, and she scooped me up and put me in the evil carrier.  We wound up at a strange place with a lot of strange humans I didn't know!  I was very scared, and mommy says she was scared, too.  The strange humans poked me with sharp things and told mommy I have something called Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease.  Now, I have to eat a special food to stay healthy.

Over the past four years, I have developed some other health problems, which require me to go to the v-e-t at least four times a year!!  Me thinks that is no fun!  

Mom and I wanted to start this bloggie because she has learned a lot about kitties from me and my sister, Milita.  We hope that we can share all of the knowledge and resources we have discovered with all of you.  

Please let us know if there are any topics of interest you would like us to cover!

By the way, you can visit me and Milita in our other bloggie, Fur Everywhere, too.  We can be pretty entertaining! 

We hope you will stop by and visit us often; we will add new resources and information on a regular basis.