Why spaying is one of the kindest things you can do for your female cat

Febe gave birth at 6 months old - far too young for safety. She had a difficult labour and some of her kittens died.

Kitty was used for breeding. She spent almost all of her first five years pregnant or nursing.

They were lucky to survive, and they're lucky that they've now been spayed.

Why spaying is important

• It cuts the risks of cancers and infections. Cats spayed before 6 months old are 90% less likely to develop mammary cancer.
• It stops female cats going into 'heat' - the part of their cycle where their hormones drive them to reproduce. Among other signs, cats yowl loudly ('calling') and if kept indoors may be distressed and try hard to escape to find a mate. 
• Repeated pregnancies can damage a cat's health and especially harm her uterus (womb).
• When she was spayed at 5 years old, Kitty could have had 20,000 descendants. Kittens can get pregnant from 4 months old and owners who don't spay their cats are adding to the huge problem of unwanted and abandoned cats in the UK.
• Kittens are expensive and hard work, and all too often are abandoned or taken to rescues which may already be full. GAAS has had to close its doors for now because we are full of mothers and kittens who are not yet ready to go up for adoption.

What else owners need to know

• It's not 'kind' to allow a cat to have a litter. Most cats care for their kittens until weaning but have no interest in them after that. 
• Indoor cats need to be spayed too, even if they have minimal chance of finding a mate - to save them the distress of going on heat, to protect their health and because there is still always a chance of them escaping their home and getting pregnant.
• A cat on heat will mate with her brother or her son.

There will be a follow-up blog on why neutering is one of the kindest things you can do for your male cat.