Courtesy of the Niagara Frontier Veterinary Society  

 An unspayed cat can have between 100 and 150 kittens in her lifetime. In just one year, an unspayed outdoor cat can have three litters, producing 12 kittens. One year later, those 12 kittens, if not spayed, can have 144 offspring of their own, demonstrating the severity of feral cat overpopulation.  

Shelter Animals Count says nearly 2.9 million cats entered rescues and shelters across the U.S. in 2024. About 275,000 of them were euthanized. Cat overpopulation can be managed if people learn more about how to keep cats safe and happy, which begins with spaying. 

Spaying, which removes a female cat’s ovaries and sometimes her uterus, prevents reproduction. This major operation requires general anesthesia, but most cats go home within 12 to 24 hours. Although spaying is a significant surgery, it is a common procedure with a very low risk of complications. 

The benefits of spaying a cat include controlling the cat population, reducing the risk of reproductive diseases, stopping heat cycles, and preventing unwanted behaviors such as roaming in search of a mate. Spaying also lowers the risk of ovarian, uterine, and breast cancers. Cats spayed before their first heat have less than a 1% chance of developing breast cancer.  

The Niagara Frontier Veterinary Society recommends spaying cats between 4 and 5 months to prevent their first estrus cycle. For shelter cats, the ideal age can be as early as 8 weeks. Older cats can also be spayed if they are adopted and not yet altered. It’s always best to consult with a veterinarian about spaying options to ensure the animal’s health.

The Niagara Frontier Veterinary Society consists of 75 small animal hospitals and 200 practitioners in Erie and Niagara counties. Learn more at www.nfveterinarysociety.org.