Editorial: Help prevent kitten season and get pets fixed

It’s kitten season at Metro Animal Services. And as cute as that may sound, it really isn’t. It starts in spring and doesn’t begin winding down until September. During the interval, animal shelters can become inundated with kittens.

This is the time of year when female cats go into heat. They disappear for a few days and when they return they are frequently pregnant. It’s so common that the animal shelter received two dozen pregnant cats in the last month. Unfortunately, the mother and her kittens can’t be adopted until the young ones reach a certain age. So they are cared for by foster families to make room for adoptable animals at the shelter.

Just last week the shelter had 28 cats and kittens up for adoption. That’s not even including those housed in private homes.

The animal shelter expects kittens during this period, but this year they are seeing a 20 percent increase. Some of that is due to people moving and leaving pets behind; some of it has to do with a depressed economy.

But those are just red herrings because pet owners should have simply spayed or neutered their animals.

Several clinics, including the Human Society’s Cinderella Fund, provide no- to low-cost spay or neuter services. The Cinderella Fund is supported through community donations and vouchers of varying amounts based on a sliding scale. The funds are then dispersed to qualifying pet owners depending on their income level. Participating vets accept the vouchers.

It’s the responsible thing to do.