(Metro News Service) Between 100 and 150. That is the estimated number of kittens an unspayed cat can have in her lifetime. ABC Clinic Pet Refuge Animal Birth Control Clinic says that in just one year, an unspayed cat that is allowed to roam outdoors can have three litters, resulting in 12 kittens. One year later, those 12 kittens, if kept unspayed, can have 144 offspring of their own. Such figures illustrate that the potential for feral cat overpopulation is high.

According to Shelter Animals Counts, nearly 2.9 million felines entered rescues and shelters across the country in the United States in 2024. About 275,000 of them were euthanized. Cat overpopulation can be controlled if people learn more about how to keep cats safe and happy, which starts with spaying.

What is spaying?

Spaying is a surgical procedure that removes the ovaries and sometimes the uterus of a female cat with the intention of preventing reproduction. VCA Animal Hospitals characterizes spaying as a major surgical procedure that requires placing the cat under general anesthesia. Most cats can return home within 12 to 24 hours of surgery. Even though spaying is considered a major operation, the risk of complications is very low. Spaying is a routine procedure.

What are the advantages of spaying?

Small Door Veterinary says there are many advantages to spaying a cat, which can help with population control, reduce the risk of reproductive disease, eliminate heat cycles, and help head off unwanted behaviors like roaming to find a mate. Spaying eliminates the risk of ovarian and uterine cancers and the risk of breast cancer. VCA says cats spayed before their first heat cycle have a less than 1 percent chance of developing breast cancer.

At what age should a cat be spayed?

Today's Veterinary Practice says for owned cats, the optimal age to spay is four to five months of age to catch the cat before its first estrus cycle. For cats in shelters, the optimal age could be as early as eight weeks of age. An older cat also can be spayed if it is adopted and hasn't been altered. It's always best to speak with a veterinarian about spaying choices to protect the health of the animal.

Spaying felines at an early age can reduce the large numbers of cats entering shelters and even prevent an assortment of health issues.