Animal shelters are, sadly, far too accustomed to finding boxes of abandoned newborn animal litters at their doors. This is because unwanted litters have become the main cause of animal abandonment.* If we add the number of abandoned cats to the cats already born on the street, and domestic, unsterilized cats that leave home and impregnate female cats living on the street, etc., the number of kittens born in a year totals hundreds of thousands.
Cats are very fertile animals and can have up to four litters per year. In addition, female cats mature very quickly. They usually have their first heat cycle between 6 and 9 months, but some can reach puberty as early as 4 months of age and can reproduce for almost their entire lives.
During a pregnancy, a female cat can give birth to up to twelve kittens, with three to nine kittens being the norm for a litter. In the first pregnancy, it is common to have a smaller litter, around three or four kittens, and older female cats also tend to have smaller litters.
These figures can be alarming considering that around 137,000 animals are abandoned each year in Spain, and within that figure, the number of cats abandoned annually exceeds 33,000*. If these cats are not sterilized, they can mate with each other and have many litters, which will result in even more homeless cats.
At first, we might think that only cats living on the street have unwanted litters, but the truth is that the irresponsibility of certain people causes the feline population to increase. If a domestic cat goes outside and is not sterilized, it can mate uncontrollably, which means that many kittens will be born on the street, destined for a life that is far from ideal for them.
A cat born on the street is exposed to contracting diseases, being hit by a car, and many other dangers. We must not forget that cats are domestic animals, and although the idea that "they know how to fend for themselves" is widespread, an abandoned cat suffers just as much as an abandoned dog. Stray cats come from abandoned or lost domestic cats, or are their descendants.
That is why it is so important to sterilize cats, even if it is a domestic cat that does not go outside. Sterilization prevents many unwanted litters, and if the percentage of sterilized animals increased, we would help to reduce the animal abandonment rate. As always, we emphasize the importance of responsible pet ownership.
If your ARISTOPET is not yet sterilized, we advise you to contact your trusted veterinarian for information on sterilization plans. Many veterinary clinics and shelters organize sterilization campaigns at a reduced price and even carry out free sterilizations.