I recently wrote about the 20% of American women who want their female cat to experience giving birth before spaying her. A study reveals that the reason behind this important ‘problem’ is attitude not a lack of knowledge about the problems of unwanted cats and full shelters.
What is the root of this attitude problem? I had considered the possibility its root might well be the female ‘biological urge’: the urge women feel at a certain age to have children. I have a female gym friend and she told me that when she was a lot younger she had an overwhelming almost irrational urge to have kids. She had three. It was as if she had lost control of herself.
It might be the case that women cat owners anthropomorphise their cats and in their desire to please their cats they are keen to allow them to have kittens. They believe that their cats have the same biological urge that they went through and don’t want to deny them the chance to carry out their desire as it will benefit the cat, improve their character and make them feel fulfilled.
This could well be true as it fits neatly with the conclusions of a study which found that educating these cat owners won’t fix the problem. However, it is important that it is addressed as it causes a lot of unwanted kittens and full to capacity shelters.
The follow up question is what drives this biological urge? Is it in the DNA of all women, an instinctive biological behaviour beyond the woman’s control? Apparently, there is no science which supports a biological process creating a longing for kids.
The desire to have children appears to be learned which means that it can be unlearned. This fits in with the fact that not all women have the ‘biological urge’.
If it is learned, this aspect of womanhood should be tackled and female cat owners educated on the reasons behind their desire to let their female cat have kittens. It will let these women reflect on their reluctance to spay their female cat companion which may in turn have a dramatic effect on unwanted cat numbers over the years.
I’d welcome the thoughts of our valued regular female visitors 🙂 . This is not in anyway meant to be sexist.
You may have hit the nail on the head. Too many people want their animals to experience human situations.
What these idiotic PEE-POLES don’t take into consideration is the trauma that comes from having your children snatched away only to never see them again. Kidnapping is traumatic for Momma cats just the same as for human moms.
Never giving birth shields the female from the loss. If she shows a need for kittens, then adopt a little kitten for her to nuture, DON’T MAKE HER EXPERIENCE THE JOY OF MOTHERHOOD ONLY TO RIP HER BABIES AWAY FROM HER!!! That is so sadistic!
Good point Cat’s Meow.
I was the oldest of 7 children. Therefore I was the babysitter, nanny, caretaker, chief cook and bottlewasher,maid and all round gofer. If I could have been spayed at age 18, I would have happily had it done!!!
Made me smile.