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LEGISLATIVE ALERTS

Voluntary Spay/Neuter - a success story for owned cats.

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Spayed and neutered cats make ideal pets. This comes as no surprise for the millions of cat lovers who know and understand the nature of cats. Surveys indicate that the vast majority (87% to 94%) of all cat owners nation-wide already sterilize their pets voluntarily. Why then do we have homeless kittens in shelters? Why would forced sterilization through mandatory spay/neuter laws be even considered by some as necessary for cat owners? Are there better ways to reach the owners who have not sterilized their cats?

Most cat owners today are aware of the positive health benefits of sterilization. A female cat's risk of mammary cancer is reduced when she is spayed before her first heat cycle. There have been no studies showing any detrimental effects of early-age altering for cats. The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) has joined veterinarians and humane organizations in promoting sterilization of cats for many years. Breeders of pedigreed cats have for at least 35 years used contracts requiring pet buyers to provide proof that their pet kittens have been spayed/neutered. Many breeders now prefer to sell cats and kittens already altered. Two other factors have been largely responsible for the continuing increase in the numbers of altered pet cats. Shelters and animal agencies began instituting policies for sterilization prior to adoption in the early 1990's. And, even more significant - cats are increasingly kept indoors. Owners of indoor-only cats recognize that intact cats are not suitable as household pets.

Sterilization greatly improves the behavior of cats in many ways that make them good pets whereas intact cats present huge problems for a pet owner.

Sterilization greatly improves the behavior of cats in many ways that make them good pets whereas intact cats present huge problems for a pet owner. Intact male cats normally spray urine regularly to claim their territory and to attract female cats. They use clever tactics to get outside in order to roam looking for female cats. They start fights with neighborhood cats returning home with abscesses that require veterinary attention. Female cats left intact come in season regularly all year round. If not mated some may be back in season within 10 days or so. Eventually they can acquire a uterus infection or cystic ovaries and usually will lose weight and condition. Cats howl incessantly when in season causing an unpleasant home environment and many females will begin to urinate around the house as part of their frustration. Eventually they find a way out of the house when a door is left open for a second. When the cat returns she is often pregnant. An expectant mother cat will want twice as much food and, should she require a caesarian operation, the unintentional litter will mean a large veterinary bill.

Raising kittens responsibly is time consuming and expensive. A litter of kittens requires proper feeding, vaccination and socialization until they are old enough for placement in a home. If the mother or litter becomes sick then the home care and veterinary expenses will escalate. Finding homes for random-bred kittens is not easy because there are so many homeless cats and kittens available in shelters, through rescue groups or Internet sources. Placing a newspaper ad and interviewing adopters is an additional burden. In communities with ordinances requiring breeding permits it is impossible to advertise without risk of fees or fines. It is not surprising then that entire litters are simply delivered to local shelters before they are even weaned. This has created a major reason for the cat/kitten euthanasia in the United States. Some shelters don't keep track of the unweaned kittens killed. However, the City of Los Angeles Animal Services has made this data available giving an indication of how serious the problem is. LA Animal Services states that 40% of all cats taken in are unweaned (neonate) and these kittens represent 35% of all cats euthanized.

Not all kittens delivered to shelters are produced by pet cats. Many are from the free-roaming/feral cat population. Several studies have revealed that approximately 8% to 10% of all households are feeding free-roaming/unowned cats. Kittens may be found near a home and delivered to animal services, but the kittens born to feral cats, even if weaned, often need intense socialization efforts to be suitable for adoption. Unfortunately most individuals who feed cats they do not own are unable to find assistance with trap/neuter/return (TNR) of feral cats so the females go on to reproduce again. Most shelters do not have adequate foster home programs for taming feral kittens.

Considering the disadvantages of keeping intact cats as pets it is easy to understand why so many household pet cats are altered voluntarily. Studies show that cat owners are very concerned with the issues of unwanted cats and shelter killing of cats. Cat owners respond in surveys to questions of why their cat is not altered. Some say they believe the cat is too young or they think a cat should have at least one heat cycle first. Others say they have just procrastinated. Many simply cannot afford the cost of sterilization that can be over $250 for a female cat. A scientific study published in the April 15, 2009 Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association provides some valuable insights. Annual family income was the demographic variable most strongly related to neuter status. Families with an income of more than $75,000 had a high rate of sterilization (96.2%) whereas those with incomes of less than $35,000 were less likely to sterilize their cats (51.4%). Considering all income levels 94% of cats in households earning more than $35,000 were sterilized and only 7% were intact. The most common reason for sterilization among all demographic groups was "to avoid unwanted litters" (68.3%).

It is obvious that any attempt to decrease the numbers of kittens surrendered to shelters or to increase the numbers of pet cats sterilized will mean targeting the small number of pet owners who have not altered their cats due to the cost. These households may not always qualify for rigorous "low-income" programs so vouchers for reduced veterinary fees work best when not tied to proof of government assistance. Those who are feeding feral/unowned cats at their doorsteps need even more help than low cost sterilization. They must have assistance with trapping and most will probably not be motivated to sterilize unless the cost is extremely low or free. In addition, volunteer programs are needed to provide transportation for some individuals to take advantage of subsidized spay/neuter programs.

Lawmakers and activists who promote mandatory spay/neuter laws do not recognize the futility of this misdirected coercive approach. Because the vast majority of cat owners already sterilize their cats there is no reasonable expectation that a law can reduce the numbers of kittens surrendered to shelters. Most kittens come from either unintentional matings or from feral cats with no owners to comply with laws. In fact mandatory spay/neuter laws tend to deter individuals from taking in the unowned cats. The threat of potential fines for "harboring" an intact cat only increases the number of cats relinquished to shelters or abandoned. It cost more to house and euthanize an adult cat in the shelter than it would to sterilize the cat. The two populations - intact owned cats able to roam and mate and intact free-roaming/unowned cats - should be targeted through education and assistance programs. This would greatly reduce the most significant source of kittens and one of the main reasons for cat euthanasia in shelters.

Neuter/spay programs must be directed toward the main sources of homeless kittens; unowned/feral cats and intact owned cats who unintentionally go outdoors and randomly mate.

Based on survey responses, few cats are intentionally mated other than those in planned pedigreed cat breeding programs. Pedigreed cats make up only approximately 4% of the total owned cat population and these cats are rarely in the shelter populations. Encouraging individuals to take in the cats they feed is extremely important. CFA has for many years promoted the concept - "if you feed a stray - neuter or spay !" The decision to spay or neuter a free-roaming/unowned cat is the first step toward responsible ownership. In addition, continuing to encourage cats to be kept indoors or safely confined outdoors, providing guidance on how to make indoor life attractive to cats and education on the benefits of early age altering will prevent the unintentional "oops" litters. This approach also enhances the health and well-being of cats and helps strengthen the human-cat bond.

Joan Miller
CFA Legislative Information Liaison
Fanc-e-Mews, July 1, 2009

1) APPA National Pet Owners Survey 2007-2008 - 87% of owned cats sterilized.
MSPCA; Massachusetts Dorr Research Study Report (survey every 5 yrs.) - 2006 survey - 94% of owned cats are sterilized.

2) APPA National Pet Owners Survey 2007-2008 - "Six-out-of-ten cats remain indoors during the day, a significant gain since the last survey."

3) Los Angeles Animal Services 2008 Statistical Report - "Orphaned Neonate Kittens on average represent nearly 40% of all cats taken in by LA Animal Services. Orphaned Neonate Kittens cannot survive for long without a surrogate mother or foster care-giver." (page 8) "The 2008 Neonate Kitten euthanasia rate rose 45%. This still represents the second lowest euthanasia rate in this category in the last eight years." (page 10) In 2008 - 4,243 neonates were euthanized and 7,856 adult cats were euthanized (Neonates represented 35% of total cats euthanized).

4) National Pet Alliance Santa Clara County, CA, Survey 1993 - 10% of all households fees stray (unowned) cats.. http://theanimalcouncil.com/files/NPA_1993_SCCo_pet_study.pdf

5) NPA San Diego County, CA, Survey 1995 - 8.9% of all households feed cats they do not own - 2.6 cats average. http://theanimalcouncil.com/files/NPA_1995SanDiego.pdf
NPA, San Jose, CA, report 2007 - "…..the alter rate of un-owned cats being fed by households was a dismal 5%." - http://theanimalcouncil.com/files/NPA_San_Jose_Exec_Sum_2007.pdf

6) Gulf Coast Pet Research Project 2007 "……..cost represents the leading reason why cat owners do not spay and neuter and ranks fairly high among dog owners as well. Asked more directly, 42 percent agree (27 percent strongly agree) with the statement, "spaying and neutering simply costs too much for me." -Greenberg, Quinlan Rosner Research; October 2007

7) JAVMA, Vol 234, No. 8, April 15, 2009 - "Population characteristics and neuter status of cats living in households in the US" - page 1023.

Is new pet legislation proposed in your area?

Often what might appear on the surface to be a good law in principle, can be disastrous because of unintended consequences.

If you should become aware of any pending changes in local pet law or a newly proposed ordinance, please let us know at legislation@cfa.org. We can analyze these proposals and provide information to your local animal control jurisdiction. Often what might appear on the surface to be a good law in principle, can be disastrous because of poor wording or because of unintended consequences that have not been sufficiently thought out.

What you HEAR could be important! Anti-breeding, pet limit laws or other legislation could come to your city, county or state. If you hear of impending legislation of this nature, in your area, contact CFA.