Please Spay or Neuter

I just received an e-mail which prompts me to depart from the fitness world onto an issue close to my heart.

A well-meaning e-mail was written on behalf of an elderly neighbor whose cat just had seven “adorable” kittens. Unfortunately, all that adorability did not help them to be accepted by the ASPCA or other local animal shelters because they are already full of equally adorable kittens.

So now there are seven little kitties looking for a home, and I sincerely hope that somebody will just be looking for a cat.

I must confess: the e-mail got my hackles up. I am an avid advocate of the spaying and neutering of pets, and here is just another great example why this is so important. Our pets will do what all animals are programmed to do: be fruitful and multiply. They live – hopefully – in an environment where they are well-cared for, have food and shelter and are free from natural enemies. The perfect background for successful procreation. One seven-kitty-litter per year for the duration of 10 years results in 70 direct offspring but if it is extrapolated on the assumption that those cats have their own litters, the number becomes staggering and exceeds 282 million! True, this is just a matter of math but it demonstrates well the magnitude of the problem if our pets are not controlled.

I won’t talk about the debate of whether or not a cat should be allowed to be outside. However, if allowed, then spaying or neutering should be an even greater priority, and the failure to do so constitutes irresponsible pet ownership.

Please spay and neuter your pet.