Parturition is the act of giving birth. According to research conducted in 1996 by a scientist, Luke, about 20% or one fifth of the American public believe that a female cat should be allowed to give birth to kittens before being spayed (ovariohysterectomy). Are they correct? The surgery includes the removal of the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries.
Twenty percent of the American public amounts to more than 60 million people (2012). Their attitude, right or wrong, contributes to the cat overpopulation problem because female cats on average give birth to 2.43 litters of 4.3 kittens before being spayed. That is a lot of cats. Some will end up in shelters and live a short, unwanted life before being ‘euthanised’.
Their attitude has profound consequences. It would be nice to find out why people think this and whether they can change their views. Or whether they should change their views. Luke says the research did not provide answers.
However, he speculates that the reason why people have this attitude is:
- ‘..a tendency to anthropomorphize their parental instincts onto their pets’. I can understand this. First, I wonder whether it is mainly women who have this attitude. I certainly don’t like the castration of male cats because I like a male cat to be fully male. I am not sure that is anthropomorphizing a cat. I think it is just that an intact male domestic cat has the full range of male wildcat behaviors that are attractive but…I understand the practical reasons for sterilising. Do women think that to spay a female cat before she has gone through pregnancy and birth will rob her of some of her femininity? Will it change her behavior and make her less sweet natured?
- Some people believe that it is good for a female cat’s long term health if she gives birth before being sterilized.
- The belief that cats should reach sexual maturity before being sterilized. Vets used to give advice that cats should be at least 6 months of age before undergoing the operation. However as at 2007 vets have revised their advice and early age spaying and neutering is now accepted. Is it fully accepted by all vets? Does early age neutering stunt growth and behavioral development?
Doctors Eldridge, Carlson (father and daughter) and Giffin write in their authoritative book1 that a “queen does not need to have a litter of kittens to be psychologically fulfilled or to ‘settle down’ behaviorally”. They recommend spaying at 5-7 months of age before her first heat. The operation is easier on a young cat and it can be done at 7 weeks of age, they write. They go on to say that studies have shown that (a) there are no health problems (b) no long term behavioral issues and (c) the cat might be taller because ‘bone closure rates are delayed” (e) cats are not fatter but the operation might slow the cat’s metabolism so less food is required (and more exercise). Note: indirectly, spaying might, therefore, make cats fatter?
Also by spaying before the cat’s first heat there is a reduction in the occurrence of:
- mammary tumors (by 90%) and the..
- elimination of the possibly of infections and cancers of the uterus.
They also say that spaying a female cat:
- will not change her ‘basic personality’. Note: the authors have hinted that a female cat’s personality might or will be changed in that statement.
- will make the cat less irritable ‘at certain times of the year’
- reduces urine marking
- eliminates heat cycle behavior
Other sources
The Veterinarian’s Guide to Your Cat’s Symptoms says that spaying before first heat ‘is thought to prevent mammary tumors”. So, less certain. As to long term effects they that early neutering ‘has so far’ proved to be safe and effective. But they make the point that this is a relatively new procedure. However the book was published in 1999.
I have found it difficult to find a study that was carried out recently, say in 2012 or 2011 that would shed some light on the long term effects of early spaying of female cats. The AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) reported back in 2000. They concluded at that time that “prepubertal gonadectomy” (early spaying) was safe in terms of long term effects at least until 3 years after the operation. I suppose they were playing safe. In a later report of 2004, probably the most recent that we have to hand, the AVMA recommend spaying before 5.5 months of age. They say that both male and female cats were more shy after an early operation.
I couldn’t find anything at all about it on the British Veterinary Association website. As at 1993 British vets had mixed opinions about early sterilisation of cats2.
P.H.Kass referring to Olsen’s study of 2001 and writing in The Welfare of Cats says that long term studies ‘may yet reveal’ health concerns for early spaying.
Conclusion
We have to conclude that at present, when taking into account all the benefits and known and unknown detriments to early pre-first heat spaying, that it is regrettably the right thing to do. Cat caretakers who think it is wrong need to change their minds.
Associated article: Neutering Cats.
Reference:
1.Cat Owner’s Home Veterinary Guide page 426 – ISBN 978-0-470-09530-0
2. Messybeast.com
3. Original Flickr photo.
The law in the USA is that it is perfectly legal to destroy any animal, someone’s pet or not, that is threatening the health, well-being, and safety of yourself, your family, your animals, or even your property. Also true even in most densely populated cities, firearms laws permitting, if not then 700-1200fps air-rifles are commonly used. The only animals exempt from you taking immediate action, legally, are those listed on endangered or threatened species lists, and any bird species under protection of MBTA (the Migratory Bird Treaty Act). Even then variances can be given should there be sufficient problem but this requires further study by authorities. Since cats are listed in the TOP 40 WORST invasive-species of the world in the “Global Invasive Species Database” (www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=24&fr=1&sts=sss ), this means they have no protection whatsoever from being shot on sight, they are not on any protected-species list anywhere in the world. Quite the opposite as a matter of fact. And if your area enforces and obeys invasive-species laws — as they should — then it is against the law to NOT destroy any cat on sight, someone’s pet or not. It is your civic and moral responsibility to destroy any invasive-species that is found away from supervised confinement and roaming freely in a non-native habitat.
Shoot to maim is punishable under the laws that define animal-cruelty. But shoot to kill is a perfectly legal way to humanely destroy an animal. The same laws that apply to methods of humanely hunting animals also applies to cats. Unlike cat-lovers’ psychotic beliefs, the reality is that a cat is just another animal. It’s NOT their baby, their child, their offspring. Even if they do view their cats that way, letting them roam free is no less criminally irresponsible than them telling their child to go play in the freeway and then blaming the cars for their child’s death. If they let their cat roam free, NO MATTER HOW IT DIES, that is THEIR fault and they can be charged with all laws that clearly define animal-neglect, animal-abandonment, and animal-endangerment.
In fact, here’s a publication from a study done by the University of Nebraska on the best ways to HUMANELY deal with a feral-cat problem wherever you live. This documentation INCLUDES the best firearms, ammo, and air-rifles required to HUMANELY destroy cats. deenawinter.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/ec1781.pdf
Besides, what difference does it make if the cat gets shot or ran over by a car, attacked by another cat or animal, drowned, or poisoned by plants animals or chemicals (inexpensive 1-adult-strength generic acetaminophen (a.k.a. paracetamol) pain-relievers gaining in popularity, for being so species specific). The result is the same. The cause is the same — the fault of the criminally irresponsible pet-owner that let their invasive-species pet roam free. They’ve already proved that their animal is 100% expendable. You can either destroy their cat for them humanely, or let their lack of care cause it to inevitably die inhumanely. They don’t care one bit how their cat might cruelly suffer to death if they let it roam free. Humanely destroy their cat for them before that can happen.
You can’t legally shot someone else’s cat. Quote me the law on that. Chapter and verse please.
Nice to see that you’ll approve the p.s, but not the reasons for the p.s.Insecurity much? (yes, we’ve all got your cat-loving number, and it terrifies you to no end that people can perfectly legal shoot your lousy cats to death).
I wouldn’t have let my cat go onto your land. That would be the last thing I would do. I would steer well clear of you. I am a responsible cat caretaker. Why can’t you be a more responsible person? And sheriffs in the US don’t have the best of reputations regarding cat and animal welfare do they? He advised you to commit a crime! 🙂
Woodsman, you have confirmed to me that you are insane. Completely off your trolley. My cat goes out. I supervise him. He is neutered. He does not kill any wildlife. So why are you insulting me with such anger and venom? Because you are bonkers.
p.s. And don’t go telling me that I didn’t try to reason with the owners. I TRIED FOR FIFTEEN YEARS TO TRY TO REASON WITH THE CATS’ OWNERS. Not even the sheriff himself could reason with the likes of you. THAT’S when he himself advised that I just shoot every last one of your lousy invasive species cats. Not even HE could reason with people like you.