2011 is the “Year of the Cat”

By Julia Williams

While the Chinese celebrate 2011 as the Year of the Rabbit, the Vietnamese zodiac says it’s the Year of the Cat (Năm Tân Mão ). People born under the sign of the Cat are said to be ambitious, talented, sensitive, compassionate and patient. Not surprisingly, they also clash with those born under the Rat.

Vietnamese zodiac aside, 2011 has also been declared the “Year of the Cat” by Care for Cats, a broad network of feline volunteer advocates in Canada. They plan to advocate for the welfare of Canada’s cats by raising awareness of the value of cats, dispelling cat myths, and addressing important issues such as spaying and neutering to curb cat overpopulation, implementing Trap/Neuter/Release (TNR) programs for feral cats, and increasing shelter adoptions and “return to owner” rates.

As a domesticated species, cats need human care and companionship to not only survive but to stay healthy. According to the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies (CFHS) the biggest problem that threatens cats in Canada is homelessness. Although it’s impossible to determine how many homeless cats are in the U.S., the ASPCA estimates there could be as many as 70 million. Did that number shock you as much as it did me?

One can surmise then, that the biggest problem for U.S. cats is also homelessness. Considering that a non-spayed female cat can produce one or two litters every year with 4-6 kittens (on average) it’s not hard to see why the number of homeless cats increases every year and more cats flow into already overcrowded shelters and sanctuaries.

8 Ways to Save a Cat

The homeless cat crisis affects nearly every community. The good news is that there are many things people can do to help cats, particularly homeless ones.

Adopt an adult cat from a shelter. Kittens always find homes, but adult cats don’t fare so well. The ASPCA estimates that 5 to 7 million pets enter U.S. shelters every year. About 70% of the adult cats are euthanized, most for no other reason than there isn’t anyone to adopt them.

Foster a cat in your home for your local shelter or cat rescue group. This saves two lives: the cat you foster, who might not survive in the stressful shelter environment, and another homeless cat who can fill the space this frees up.

Volunteer at the shelter as a “cat socializer.” By giving the shelter cats some much-needed love and attention, you help them become more adoptable, and also enrich their lives as they wait for their forever home.

Spay or neuter your own cat to ensure that you’re not contributing to the cat overpopulation problem. Spaying/neutering not only prevents unwanted pregnancies, it can help prevent health issues too.

Help Tame Feral Cats so they can be spayed or neutered to help cut down the cat overpopulation problem. With time and patience, many feral cats can become affectionate family pets that love human companionship and appreciate having a safe and warm home.

Microchip your cat and keep the contact information current. Microchipped cats that accidentally become lost are much likelier to be quickly reunited with their family.

Be a cat advocate by writing letters to your local government representatives urging them to pass legislation that contributes to the wellbeing of cats.

Donate money, supplies or your time to a local shelter or cat rescue group. Your contribution can help these organizations rescue, spay, neuter and find permanent homes for more cats.

Read more articles by Julia Williams

Spay or Neuter Pets to Prevent Health Problems

By Linda Cole

Getting a puppy or kitten is so much fun. Watching them learn, investigate new things and grow is exciting, but they soon reach the age where they're mature enough to reproduce. It's best to have them spayed or neutered to prevent unwanted pregnancies, and this safe procedure can help prevent health issues too.

Responsible breeders take great care to make sure the dogs or cats they use in their breeding programs are healthy. They go to extensive lengths to try and eliminate as many genetic defects as they can through responsible breeding. For the rest of us, our duty as responsible pet owners is to spay and neuter our family pets before they are old enough to reproduce.

Some vets recommend spaying and neutering as young as 6-14 weeks, whereas others prefer to wait until the pet is closer to 6-7 months of age. Those in favor of altering as young as possible say it's the best way to prevent accidental pregnancies. Vets who do early age spaying and neutering believe the pet heals more quickly from the operation and has less discomfort than those who are altered at an older age. However, many pet owners are concerned about putting their 8 week old puppy or kitten through an operation that requires anesthesia. Having your pet altered is a simple and safe operation any qualified vet can perform, whether it's at an early age or when the pet is older. The important thing is to have them altered to give them a better quality life.

The health benefits of spaying and neutering cannot be overlooked. The chance of cancer in both male and female dogs and cats is greatly reduced when the pet is altered before they reach 6 months of age. Mammary cancer is a huge risk for females, and male dogs have a greater risk of developing prostate and testicular cancer if left intact. Uterine infections are also less likely to occur.

Neutered male cats are not as likely to mark their territory. Both male and female outside cats are less likely to wander away from home, wake up the neighbors with their cat calls, or fight with other cats. Unaltered female cats will also spray, leaving their scent for any male cats in the area. If the female is an inside cat, she'll spray the walls and furniture. Cats and dogs that are spayed or neutered are less aggressive, and living with multiple pets is less hectic because you don't have to worry about when they will go into heat.

Female dogs usually have two heat cycles a year starting at around 6 months of age. A heat cycle is 3 weeks. It's more difficult to tell when a female cat is in heat if you missed the rolling around and hiking her back end up in the air. They usually have their first heat cycle at around 6 months of age. She will have 2-4 heat cycles a year that will last around 15-22 days. If she doesn't find a male to mate with, she can end up going through a heat cycle every 3-4 weeks indefinitely.

The time between conception and birth for both dogs and cats is 62-63 days, and a cat can become impregnated as soon as a week after having a litter of kittens. It's also possible for her to be pregnant while still nursing. It can become an unending cycle that's not only unhealthy for the pet, but results in expenses the pet owner can't afford – there will be additional food, vaccinations and vet care if they keep the kittens, or additional stress when trying to find good homes for the kittens.

In the long run, the expense of having your dog or cat spayed or neutered before they reach maturity is healthy for them and less costly for your pocket book. You can eliminate unwanted pregnancies and health concerns as the pet grows older with a simple operation before they are old enough to reproduce.

Many organizations across the country have programs set up to help those who can't afford to have their pets spayed or neutered. Talk to your vet or local animal shelter if you need some financial help. Having pets altered at an early age is endorsed by the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights. Your vet can give you advice and help you decide when to alter your pet. It doesn't matter if they are 8 weeks old or 6 months old, the important thing is to have them spayed or neutered before they reach maturity – for a healthier pet and your peace of mind.

Read more articles by Linda Cole

How to Care For a Female Dog in Heat

By Suzanne Alicie

Female dogs that aren’t spayed go into season or into heat approximately every 6 months. This can be a real annoyance to pet owners and to all other pets in the household.

The heat cycle for a female dog lasts about 3 weeks. During that time her vulva will swell and she will have a bloody discharge. While she is in heat your dog will be constantly releasing pheromones which will attract all the male dogs in your neighborhood.

Do not leave your female dog alone outdoors when she is in heat. Male dogs will become aggressive and have been known to dig and jump fences to mate. Keeping your female indoors will help eliminate the fear of unwanted puppies or attacks by neighborhood males.

However, keeping the female dog inside while she is in heat can also be inconvenient. The discharge can be not only messy but also quite smelly. The best option is to keep your female indoors and confined to an area where the discharge won’t be a problem to clean up, such as a tiled or concrete area in the basement or garage. Baby gates are an easy way to confine your dog without putting her behind a closed door.

If you crate your female while she is in heat it is important to place the crate where she will be able to spend time with “her” people, and also to let her out to exercise. You don’t want your dog to feel as if she is being punished. Another option is to purchase what are known as dog panties, to contain the discharge and avoid messes.

Your female dog may display several aggressive behaviors with other pets in the home while she is in heat. This includes a pushy attitude, shouldering aside other pets, humping, and basically attempting to dominate the others. This is a temporary problem and will subside when she goes out of heat. In the meantime, separation from the other animals is one option, or letting them figure it out on their own is another. This is nature; animals communicate and display their place in the “pack” the way nature dictates. So if your easygoing female suddenly begins acting like a bully, the other animals will either accept the temporary insanity or they will put her in her place.

A female dog in heat will be easily agitated and may pace restlessly during this time. This is not unusual, nor is the whimpering and panting. These are just some of the symptoms of her being in heat, and if she isn’t allowed to breed can be very frustrating to her and you. If you don’t plan to breed your dog, it is much better for her health and your sanity to have her spayed. Responsible pet owners take every precaution to prevent unwanted puppies.

Read more articles by Suzanne Alicie

Spaying or Neutering Can Save Your Dog’s Life

By Ruthie Bently

To spay or not to spay, that is the question. There are two schools of thought when considering spaying or neutering a dog. Do you realize that by spaying or neutering your dog, you may actually be saving their life? You cannot adopt a dog from a shelter without having it spayed or neutered; this is a requirement of most shelters these days. Spaying or neutering your dog also helps keep the pet population down and keeps the animal shelter populations down. This can also keep more pets who need homes from being euthanized.

Spaying a female dog keeps her from having an unwanted pregnancy and from getting mammary cancer, which is the equivalent of breast cancer in a human. Did you know that 25% of unsprayed female dogs get mammary cancer? That is one in four, which is even more frequent than women get breast cancer. Not only that, but an unspayed female dog’s chances of getting mammary cancer rise with each heat cycle she goes through before she is spayed. Spaying your female dog, even after she has had a litter of puppies, will decrease her chance of getting cancer.

Spaying a female dog is called an ova-hysterectomy; the operation is done under a general anesthesia, and the ovaries, uterus and fallopian tubes are removed. Because the spaying operation is more involved with a female dog, the fees are usually higher. During the recovery period your female dog should be leash exercised for about two weeks and discouraged from leaping or jumping for at least another month or two, to enable her incision to heal.

Neutering a male dog will keep him from looking for a female to spread his genes, and it can help if he is aggressive to other male dogs or likes to start fights. It can also help keep him from getting prostate cancer. Intact male dogs are quite often more independent than a female and will wander. A male dog can smell a female’s pheromones for up to a distance of three miles. Neutering a male dog is called castration; the vet will remove the dog’s testicles and part of the vas deferens, which carries the sperm to the penis. The operation is done under a general anesthesia.

Some people don’t want to neuter their dog because they’re afraid it will gain weight. This doesn’t always happen and can depend on your dog’s normal activity level. If your dog seems to be less active after spaying or neutering, then their daily food allotment might need to be adjusted. You can also try to help them exercise more. Just like people, our pets can gain weight if they eat too much food. Make sure you speak to your breeder or veterinarian before making any changes to your dog’s food.

Some vets will suggest getting your pet spayed or neutered before they reach six months old, as this is when they can become sexually active. Some will suggest waiting and let the dog go through a heat cycle; however unwanted puppies and possible cancers can come from this.

If spaying or neutering my dog will keep them healthier and prolong their life, I am all for it. Aren’t you?

Read more articles by Ruthie Bently