I am trying to figure out how to help my neighbor. As some of you remember, I posted about how last summer he took in a cat, which turned out to be pregnant. She had 6 kittens in July. He says he cannot afford to get any of them fixed and no one wants them, I have asked around even.
I am assuming they are getting sexually mature soon, they are about 6 or 7 months old now. Hes going to end up with the mother and some of the female kits pregnant.
I don’t know what to suggest, I know he should take some to the shelter, which isn’t a no kill one, but I’d like some advice.
Craig’s List?
Posting a notice at a few local vet offices?
Find the next low- or no-cost neutering event?
I find it hard to believe he can afford to feed seven cats but can’t afford a trip to a low-cost spay/neuter clinic.
Damn. Based on the title, I was hoping for a PSXer thread.
But yeah, everything purple said. Maybe even put up flyers.
Joe
It’s not soon, it’s NOW - all of those female cats will be popping out kittens soon. He really has to make up his mind - take them to the shelter or cough up for surgeries. If you can’t afford to spay/neuter your pets, you can’t afford to have them. It really is part of the pet-ownership equation.
If he can’t afford to get 7 cats fixed, how’s he going to do with 12 or 20? He needs to do something, now. There are low cost spay/neuter folks out there who charge a fraction of what a typical Vet bill would be. Ask the shelter, look online for rescue groups who might be able to help. Maybe he can get a few fixed and give the rest to the shelter or a rescue group.
The worst thing he could do is nothing, because he’ll be drowning in kittens in no time.
Ask at the local shelters or rescue groups where he can go for low cost spay/neuter.
Make sure he gets them fixed before he puts them on craigslist or something. Otherwise there will be even more unwanted cats in the world soon enough.
Although ideally he would get all of the cats fixed, if that’s not financially feasible AND they are strictly indoor kitties, he could fix all of one gender (likely male, it’s less expensive) until he has the funds to get others done.
Not sure exactly where you guys are located, but this site lists $25 spay/neuter at City of Cleveland Spay and Neuter Clinic.
Thank you for the good advice. Yes, the Cleveland area works fine. Yes, thank god, they are indoor only.
He needs to at least get the males neutered NOW. It’s fairly likely that it’s already too late, though, if they’re 6 months old, at least some are likely pregnant. Of course, you can spay a pregnant cat, it’s just a bit more complicated.
If he’s not willing to get rid of them, this is the best advice, at least in my area. Here there are periodic low-cost neutering events for people in exactly his situation. It’s far cheaper to get seven cats fixed at such an event than feeding an exponentially growing lot of them.
Two words: Cat army
I had indoor only cats - the only thing that kept them from pregnancy is that they were both spayed. With seven cats, if they aren’t making a break for it regularly when a door opens, I’ll eat my hat (especially if they’re in heat). ETA: I just realized that if there are boys and girls, they won’t need to run out when they’re in heat. I still think they’re probably escape artists like all cats.