lots of litters expected it seems

From reading the forum...it sounds like a fair few mum cats are expecting kittens anyday now. Good luck with your mum cats and their litters!

It is springtime...

Thanks for the good luck. This is a first time litter for me and my cat so we're both very nervous and anxious.

same here. lol

Yup! Kitten season!!

The cats in the feral colony I'm watching are also having kittens... hopefully they won't be too hard to catch... and hopefully there's enough money to spay more of the moms this year.

*fingercross*

Paws are crossed also

Thankfully here, the kitten population is lower. Several of the clinics have been working on low-cost spay and neutering and it is paying off. It is amazing how many cats/kittens in shelters nationwide get euthanized on a yearly basis. The latest report from 2002 was only a rough estimate, but 8-12 million companion animals entered local shelters nationwide. Approx 5-9 million were euthanized that year. 70% of that number belonging to cats If that doesn't stress the importance of spaying and neutering to readers here, then I am afraid nothing will.

Welcome to kitten season.

we have a wonderful program in my town. They pay to get the animals out of the pound, and give you vouchers for part of the spay/neuter, and if you cant afford the rest, they get you a sponsor! The pet zoo store does so much sponsoring for animals. They just donate a ton of money/ goods, to the programs. Its so great. THere is a new grant too. the pound just got a huge amount of gov. money to help. And part of the program, compassion in action, is that no animals needing to be put down by 06. So they sponsor all the spay/neuter. and if you get your animal through them and take it to their vet, they knock MORE off the spay/neuter fees. in the end you can pay about 20 for it all. which is great. more then half off.

IF you choose to foster rather then adopt, they also buy you everything you need to do it. The litter and pan, food, toys ect. They say you provide the love we provide the rest. And then as a foster mom, i find them homes or take them to the adoption day, every sunday at the pet store.

A few years back we had an all time high of animals needing to be put down, which is why all thease programs were created.

Now where there are kittens in my area, everyone JUMPS on them, and they go like ice cream on a hot day. No one is left behind, and adoptive parents have to sign a contract stating that they will be spay/neutered by6 months or the program will re-claim the animal, and they wil get all their shots, and if you cant keep it, to return it to any CIA foster parent or program.

Its so nice knowing that they are doing all they can. and im helping with what i can.

Silvermoonmyst - that's a great program you have in your town!

In my town, kittens go like 'hot cakes' too. But the sad thing is the shelters are filled with 1+ year old cats that don't have a home because their owners have 'moved on' or behavioural problems (which most likely would have been avoided if they were looked after properly as kittens or have a good loving owner now). Thats how I found Gizmo, my eldest cat, who is so dear to me.

On the positive, at least we know the expected kittens born to our TCS friends here will be looked after very well, by their TCS owners or the 'forever' owners that they allow the kittens to be adopted to.

I am in a small town and the shelter here covers 3 counties and there is only 2 cats in it.. Makes me feel better knowing that. I just don't want to see animals put to sleep.

Soon to be newbie grandma here!
Thanks so much!!

I will sometimes look up the different animals in the shelters in our area. I can't believe the amount of people who surrender there pets because they got sick. It makes me so mad. When you took on the responsibility of a pet in means to me healthy or sick. Not until they get sick or it is no longer convienent for you. It is sad and where I live they only put them to sleep if they are very ill so we have several shelter in a 70 mile ratius and 1 shelter alone as over 100 cats. I am working on my husband to adopt one that is 10 years old she is there because she got arthritis and the owner did not want to deal with it. That made me cry and she is so beautiful i don't know how people can do that. My husband says you can't help them all. I know I can't but if I could save One animals life I would feel a whole lot better.

Sometimes you simply can't pay for a cat's medical bills... what choice do you have then, other than euthanasia? I suppose some people believe that the shelter gives the cat another chance, to be adopted by a richer owner...

Sure, you should think ahead, when you adopt a kitten or cat; but naturally not everyone does; and sometimes it's not a well-thought-out choice (the usual "stray cat adopts person" scenario)... People who can't pay for a cat's medical bills may choose the shelter as a last-ditch option to finding the cat a way out of its pain without euthanizing it...

I dunno. Life just isn't perfect, I guess. Certainly not for cats.

are a chance to be adopted before death. I know they hold them for so long...

here they no longer put them down unless of a major illness. we have cats in shelters that have been there for 3 or more years. I find that really sad.

Poor things need a real home