Creston’s PAWS (Pet Adoption and Welfare Society) is celebrating its first Cat Spay & Neuter Awareness Campaign this month.
The month-long campaign will help inform Creston Valley residents about the region’s current overpopulation of both pet and feral cats and demonstrate the life-saving benefits of spaying/neutering our feline friends.
“Spaying and neutering cats is known not only to help control pet homelessness in the Valley but can also provide protection from disease and behavioural issues,” says Creston PAWS President Diana Miller. “Spaying a female cat greatly reduces her risk of ovarian and mammary cancer, while neutering for males reduces their opportunities to spray urine and to pick fights with other neighbourhood cats.”
She points out that PAWS actively works to control cat populations, “thanks to our own program that ensures all cats leave the shelter spayed or neutered.” Creston also has a local SNAP (Spay and Neuter Assistance Program), “which means it’s much less a financial burden to have your cat fixed.”
In 2018, Creston PAWS contributed over $5,200 to help spay and neuter the region’s pet cats; this year, given current overpopulation conditions, the organization anticipates spending up to $7,500. “Our shelter is currently at overflow capacity, with more than 30 cats and kittens housed at the facility, and even more expected in the next few months,” says Miller. “Kitten season usually begins in March and tends to end in October, unless we have a mild winter. Even now, we’re bracing for a new batch of homeless animals. Spring is already in the air — not just for people, but for cats as well.”