'Tis the Season

In last week’s blog I referenced the fact that it’s “kitten season.”  But what does that mean and how does it translate to a crisis for homeless cats, rescue groups, and shelters throughout the country?

According to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), “kitten season” starts in early spring and ends in the fall, peaking during the summer months.  A female can become pregnant as early as five months of age, having as many as three litters a year, 4-6 kittens per litter.

Now for the big picture math.  Approximately 70,000 cats and dogs are born in the U.S. every day.  To put this number into perspective, only 10,800 human babies are born in the U.S. on a daily basis. In any given year, there are 70 million strays, 30 million of which will die from abuse and exploitation.  As for the shelters we’ve come to rely on to aid us in managing the unwanted pet problem, there are only between 4,000-6,000 shelters in the U.S. and most still have staggering kill rates of 3-4 million dogs and cats per year.  The problem of pet overpopulation is avoidable if we humans do our part.

One reason it's difficult to convince people to alter their pets is the fact that most of us don’t see large numbers of homeless animals in our daily lives.  Such was not the case for Nancy Janes during a vacation to Romania more than 10 years ago.  Deeply distressed by the number of homeless and suffering dogs she saw on the streets, she started a non-profit, Romania Animal Rescue (RAR), upon her return home.  She estimates that millions of lives have been saved by reducing the number of homeless animals through spay/neuter.

Closer to home, my colleagues at Pet Allies Network had all previously volunteered and/or worked for animal rescues.  They knew firsthand the plight of homeless animals and decided to dedicate themselves to making a difference in Southern California.  Learn more about them and why they decided to start Pet Allies Network in an upcoming blog.  

For those of us who want to make a difference but need to start on a smaller scale, what can we do?  Well, we can spay and neuter our own pets and politely educate those around us, encouraging them to do the same.  For people who lack the funds to alter their pets, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) provides a search engine to aid people in finding low- or no-cost clinics.  If you don’t have a pet but want to make a difference, consider volunteering at your local shelter or making a donation to aid in the cause.

The numbers say it all and even though we don’t witness the outcomes firsthand, we know that 34 million pet deaths per year is not acceptable.  Let’s all make an effort to do one thing to lower that number.  If you're already active in animal rescue, please write and tell me how you're making a difference!

Feral colony in Richmond, California

by Elizabeth Sundstrom

Perfect Endings

At bedtime, I used to love holding my cat Zoe pressed against my chest, listening to her purr contentedly as I nuzzled my face into the soft fur of her neck.  Truthfully, it’s hard to hold onto a bad day when that’s how you’re ending it.  We know that pets provide many health benefits for their humans, including reducing stress, anxiety, and depression.  While we may be feeling mellow listening to the cat purr, what is she feeling?

Any cat lover will tell you that cats purr as a sign of contentment.  Newborn kittens are able to purr by the second day of life and often so do while nursing.  Relaxed felines purr while eating, drinking, and while giving or receiving affection.  However, cats also purr when they are in distress or pain.  A mother cat may purr while delivering her kittens while other cats purr as they lie sick or dying.  Purring can also communicate submissiveness or non-aggressive intentions from one cat to another.  

Scientists theorize that purring is caused by a release of endorphins into the brain, explaining why cats purr while in pain.  There are several theories regarding how the body produces a purr, none of them definitive.  The frequency range of a purr is between 25 to 150 Hz.  This frequency range is beneficial to healing so a cat may purr to aid in healing herself.  Researchers also believe that a sick or frightened feline might purr to psychologically comfort herself.

Our domesticated house cats are not the only purring creatures.  They share that attribute with mountain lions and bobcats.  Like the house cat, these cats cannot roar.  Cats such as lions and tigers that can roar lack the ability to purr due to structural differences surrounding the larynx.  Surprisingly, purring is not exclusive to cats.  A number of other creatures purr as well, including rabbits, raccoons, bear cubs, hyenas, and bats!

While we still have much to learn about how and why cats purr, according to current science, this is some of what Zoe’s purring most likely did for me: reduced blood pressure, triglycerides and risk of heart attack and stroke, to name just a few things.  People with cats may also live longer (and certainly happier) lives.  Most important of all, Zoe was a loyal and loving friend.  The emotional and physical health benefits of that cannot be measured. 

One of my colleagues in the field at Pet Allies Network, Sandi Cain, reminded me today that it is “kitten season.”  There are more babes and adults than homes.  Statistics indicate that 60 percent of American households have at least one pet and cats have edged out dogs as the pet of choice.  However, many thousands of cats die every year for no reason other than lack of homes.   You and I can make a difference.  Please spay and neuter your pets.

Wishing all of my readers more purr-filled endings to stressful days.

by Elizabeth Sundstrom

Altering Our Views on Spay/Neuter - Part II

In last week’s blog, we looked briefly at the positive aspects of spay/neuter for dogs and, as promised, this week’s blog looks at the upside of vasectomy and tubal ligation as less invasive forms of sterilization.  Before we get started, our feline-loving friends (which includes me!) may be wondering if the same rules apply to cats.  According to petMD, it is always advisable to spay/neuter cats at or before maturity for some very good reasons.  

First of all, an adult, non-castrated feline will spray his territory both indoors and out.  Non-spayed females have heat cycles during spring and fall but can experience estrus several times during the season.  What many people don’t know is that both cats and dogs can become infected with sexually transmitted diseases, making spay/neuter an important step towards insuring good health for one’s pets.  Opting for vasectomy or tubal ligation for a cat would not eliminate any of the above mentioned behaviors or health concerns.

Back to dogs.  I have to say that finding information regarding the benefits of vasectomy and tubal ligation for dogs is not easy!  That’s mainly because the arguments in favor of these surgeries tend to bump up against what many veterinarians and rescue organizations have worked for decades to convince people to do: be proactive in reducing the pet population by having your cat or dog spayed/neutered as early as possible.  More on that in a minute.

After spending a week scouring a number of reputable online sources hoping to provide readers with a list of reasons why vasectomy/tubal ligation could be a viable alternative to other forms of sterilization, this is the short list of what I found.  Most people who opted for vasectomy/tubal ligation for their dogs had the following reasons:  1) in-tact dogs are more competitive/athletic, 2) questions about the health benefits of spay/neuter, 3) concerns about the surgery and long-term health risks, 4) the belief that Fido has no current behavior or health problems requiring spay/neuter, and 5) keeping open the option of future breeding.

The arguments I read in favor of vasectomy/tubal ligation did not convince me.  One of the best arguments indicated that canine endocrine and immune systems are negatively impacted by early spay/neuter but there has been no long-term study comparing dogs who are sterilized via spay/neuter vs. vasectomy/tubal ligation.  While there is a growing body of evidence supporting that argument, for now it remains unproven.  However, there is strong evidence that spay/neuter can prevent certain life-threatening cancers and infections.  

Since U.S. shelters euthanize approximately two million dogs per year in this country and many shelters have alarmingly high (70 percent or more) kill rates, the current best answer to that problem still seems to be spay/neuter.  Vasectomy and tubal ligation will prevent pregnancy but they pose other health and behavior problems that are not worth the risk.

by Elizabeth Sundstrom

Altering Our Views on Spay/Neuter

Last week while reading an interview with Ted Kerasote, author of a new book called Pukka’s Promise, Kerasote discussed his bias in favor of having his dogs sterilized via vasectomy or tubal ligation rather than neutering or spaying.  Frankly, I never knew that was an option.  Evidently, most veterinarians don’t consider it one either so this alternative is rarely if ever offered.

After doing some research of my own, I learned on petMD that even in the San Francisco Bay Area where I live, as of 2010, only two vets were performing these alternative forms of sterilization.  Since vasectomies and tubal ligations are easier to perform and result in less pain and a quicker recovery time for Fido, I wondered why vets were so resistant.  And what is the difference between spay/neuter versus vasectomy/tubal ligation?

A vasectomy involves severing the ducts leading to the testicles.  Although the dog can no longer father pups, he can have sex and also retains the aggression associated with testosterone.  With castration, the testicles are removed entirely and the dog’s testosterone levels drop, showing a decrease in aggression towards humans and other male dogs.  It also eliminates the male’s constant urge to roam in search of a partner.  In addition, neutered dogs suffer fewer prostate problems, hernias, and perianal tumors.

With females, sterilization is invasive; the recovery process is longer and involves more pain.  The spaying procedure is known as an ovariohysterectomy (OHE) which is the complete removal of the reproductive tract.  The female will no longer produce hormones such as estrogen and progesterone - hormones that are believed to be potentially harmful later in the dog’s life.  Lastly, she will no longer have twice-yearly heat cycles.  A tubal ligation involves the oviducts only.  A third procedure is a hysterectomy which means removing only the uterus and leaving the ovaries, which continue to release hormones into the body.   

 While some people struggle with the idea of sterilizing a beloved pet, there are known medical benefits in doing so, particularly for females.  Many rescue organizations are now performing spay/neuter on puppies as young as eight weeks.  According to the North Shore Animal League the benefits for females include fewer ovarian and uterine tumors, a reduction in mammary cancer (particularly if the procedure is performed early), and elimination of health risks and stress involved in pregnancy.

Next week I’ll be writing about the perceived benefits of vasectomy and tubal ligation.  For those of you wondering how cats fare in this argument, I’ll also address that issue.  In the meantime, I would love to hear from readers who have opted to sterilize their dogs via vasectomy or tubal ligation.  Do you see any benefits or drawbacks?   What prompted you to make that choice?

For now, I’m just happy that more people are making the connection between sterilization and pet overpopulation.  Sterilization is still the most humane way to address that problem.  And if it provides additional health benefits to our companion animals, then it’s a win-win situation for all concerned.

by Elizabeth Sundstrom