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Dental X-Ray: Periodontal Disease in Dogs and Cats
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Flea and Tick Prevention: How Long Should You Treat?
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Hardly​ ​anyone​ ​can​ ​resist​ ​the​ ​sweet​ ​face​ ​and​ ​playful​ ​manner​ ​of​ ​a​ ​young​ ​kitten.​ ​​​

Even​ ​those​ ​who have​ ​sworn​ ​off​ ​cats​ ​for​ ​life​ ​can​ ​become​ ​enraptured​ ​at​ ​the​ ​sight​ ​of​ ​a​ ​kitten​ ​reared​ ​up​ ​on​ ​it’s​ ​legs batting​ ​at​ ​a​ ​string​. It’s hard not to giggle when watching a kitten racing​ ​around​ ​a​ ​corner​ ​only​ ​to​ ​slide​ ​10​ ​feet​ ​across​ ​the​ ​floor​ ​before​ ​it​ ​can gather​ ​it’s​ ​bearings​ ​to​ ​finish​ ​attacking​ ​the​ ​fake​ ​mouse​ ​that​ ​was​ ​thrown​ ​across​ ​the​ ​floor.​ ​​​

But​ ​the problem​ ​is​ ​there​ ​are​ ​just​ ​too​ ​many​ ​of​ ​those​ ​super​ ​sweet​ ​faces​ ​and​ ​we​ ​all​ ​need​ ​to​ ​help​ ​get​ ​the cat​ ​population​ ​under​ ​control. The first step is yours. Spay or neuter your cat today.

3-4 Million Cats Are In Shelters Every Year

Did​ ​you​ ​know​ ​that​ ​there​ ​are​ ​3-4​ ​MILLION​ ​cats​ ​entering​ ​the​ ​shelters​ ​each​ ​year?​ ​These​ ​include stray​ ​kittens,​ ​yes,​ ​but​ ​there​ ​is​ ​an​ ​alarming​ ​number​ ​of​ ​cats​ ​who​ ​are​ ​relinquished​ ​to​ ​shelters​ ​due to​ ​behavioral​ ​problems.​ ​Due​ ​to​ ​the​ ​overwhelming​ ​numbers​ ​of​ ​cats​ ​in​ ​shelters,​ ​75%​ ​(yes​ ​that says​ ​seventy-five)​ ​of​ ​these​ ​cats​ ​and​ ​kittens​ ​are​ ​euthanized.​ ​​​

What​ ​can​ ​we​ ​do​ ​to​ ​decrease​ ​this alarming​ ​number?​ ​Spay​ ​and​ ​neuter​ ​kittens​ ​as​ ​early​ ​as​ ​possible!

When Should You Spay or Neuter Your Cat?

The​ ​American​ ​Association​ ​of​ ​Feline​ ​Practitioners​ ​(AAFP)​ ​came​ ​out​ ​with​ ​a​ ​position​ ​statement about​ ​early​ ​spay​ ​and​ ​neuter​ ​of​ ​cats​ ​in​ ​2010:​

Early​ ​spaying​ ​and​ ​castration​ ​(neutering),​ ​also called​ ​prepubertal​ ​gonadectomy,​ ​is​ ​defined​ ​as​ ​surgical​ ​sterilization​ ​of​ ​sexually​ ​immature animals​ ​6–14​ ​weeks​ ​of​ ​age. The​ ​AAFP​ ​supports​ ​neutering​ ​early​ ​in​ ​life​ ​as​ ​a​ ​safe​ ​and effective​ ​method​ ​of​ ​decreasing​ ​cat​ ​overpopulation,​ ​and​ ​one​ ​which​ ​confers​ ​long-term medical​ ​and​ ​behavioral​ ​benefits​ ​to​ ​the​ ​individual​ ​cat.

The​ ​AAFP​ ​also​ ​came​ ​out​ ​with​ ​a​ ​recommendation​ ​in​ ​2017​ ​that​ ​all​ ​cats​ ​should​ ​be spayed/neutered​ ​by​ ​5​ ​months​ ​of​ ​age.​ ​​There​ ​are​ ​several​ ​reasons​ ​for​ ​this​ ​recommendation.​ ​As cats​ ​mature,​ ​several​ ​unwanted​ ​behaviors​ ​arise.​ ​​There​ ​are​ ​no​ ​known​ ​contraindications​ ​to​ ​spaying​ ​and​ ​neutering​ ​cats​ ​by​ ​5​ ​months​ ​of​ ​age,​ ​only speculations.​ ​​ ​

If​ ​you​ ​adopt​ ​a​ ​cat​ ​that​ ​has​ ​not​ ​yet​ ​been​ ​spayed​ ​or​ ​neutered,​ ​please​ ​discuss​ ​the best​ ​time​ ​to​ ​perform​ ​the​ ​procedure​ ​with​ ​your​ ​veterinarian.​ ​​ ​Most​ ​will​ ​recommend​ ​scheduling​ ​the spay​ ​and​ ​final​ ​vaccines​ ​on​ ​the​ ​same​ ​day​ ​(16​ ​weeks​ ​of​ ​age).​

Why you should spay or neuter your cat

What About Feral Cats?

​If​ ​you​ ​know​ ​of​ ​any​ ​local​ ​feral​ ​cat populations,​ ​check​ ​around​ ​for​ ​TNR​ ​(trap​ ​neuter​ ​release)​ ​programs.​ ​​ ​These​ ​programs​ ​provide low​ ​cost​ ​or​ ​no​ ​cost​ ​spay​ ​and​ ​neuter​ ​if​ ​someone​ ​catches​ ​the​ ​cats​ ​and​ ​brings​ ​them​ ​to​ ​the​ ​clinic. View a listing of TNR programs in Kentucky.

Together,​ ​let’s​ ​help​ ​decrease​ ​the​ ​number​ ​of​ ​cats​ ​euthanized​ ​every​ ​year​ ​in​ ​shelters ​and​ ​help prevent​ ​behaviors​ ​that​ ​lead​ ​to​ ​the​ ​relinquishment​ ​of​ ​cats​ ​by​ ​their​ ​owners.

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