Animal shelters are, sadly, far too accustomed to finding boxes of abandoned newborn litters at their doors. In fact, unwanted litters have become the main cause of animal abandonment.* If we add the cats that are already born on the streets to the number of abandoned cats, unneutered domestic cats that leave home and mate with female cats living on the streets, and so on, the number of kittens born in a year runs into the hundreds.
Cats are highly fertile animals and can have up to four litters a year. In addition, female cats mature very early. They normally have their first heat between 6 and 9 months, but some can reach puberty as early as 4 months and can reproduce for practically their entire lives.
During one pregnancy, a female cat can give birth to up to twelve kittens, although a litter of between three and nine is normal. During the first pregnancy, it is common for her to have a smaller litter, of around three or four kittens, and older female cats also tend to have smaller litters.
These figures may be alarming when we consider that around 137,000 animals are abandoned in Spain every year, and within that figure, the number of cats abandoned annually exceeds 33,000*. If those cats are not neutered, they can mate with one another and have many litters, resulting in even more homeless cats.
At first, we might think that only cats living on the streets have unwanted litters, but the truth is that the irresponsibility of certain people means that the cat population continues to increase. If a domestic cat goes outside and has not been neutered, it can mate uncontrollably, meaning that many kittens will be born on the streets, destined for a life that is far from ideal for them.
A cat born on the street is exposed to contracting diseases, being run over, 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 neuter cats, even if they are domestic cats that do not go outside. Neutering prevents countless unwanted litters, and if the percentage of neutered animals increased, we would help reduce the rate of animal abandonment. As always, we emphasize the importance of keeping pets responsibly.
If your ARISTOPET has not yet been neutered, we recommend that you visit your trusted veterinarian to find out about neutering plans. Many veterinary clinics and animal shelters organize reduced-price neutering campaigns and even carry out free neutering procedures.