Now is the Time to Fix Your Cat

Posted by Darlene Cheek Nov 16, 2007

Though many cats stop breeding during the shortest, coldest days of the year, from around the first of November until the end of January in the United States, many remain unaffected by seasonal changes. This is proven by the number of kittens that are in need homes in the spring, many of these born to mothers that escaped the house during their first heat, became pregnant, and never found their way back home.

A feline pregnancy lasts about 63-65 days. If she breeds at the end of November, her kittens will be born towards the end of January, with those kittens going to their homes in March if they are adopted at eight weeks old. Considering that the months from March to June are the busiest months for births (and hopefully, but not nearly always, kitty adoptions), it is clear that cats are not all following “the rules.”

So this is just a gentle reminder that if your cat is older than four months of age, they should be spayed or neutered if you don’t want to have kittens in the spring. Don’t wait until spring because by then, your cat could very well already be pregnant. Cats can become pregnant on their very first heat cycle and at a very early age, as well. Many of the litters born each spring are to eight to ten month old cats, barely adults themselves.

Help control the pet population and keep your kitty safe. Have your cat spayed or neutered early!