In Embracing The Moon, I discuss loving your pets, whether they be dog, cat, bird, snake, enough to take care of them, to keep them from harm both medical and physical.  I try to embrace that in my fiction, as well. 

Now I want to add to that thought. 

If you let your cats run free, chances are they'll die within three years from either a painful disease, murder from some twisted pervert, getting run over by a car, or predators.  If you let your dogs run free, they stand a good chance of being hit by a car or getting hauled off to the animal shelter where they can easily be mistaken for a stray and get euthanized.  And euthanized, folks, is a polite way of saying they'll be killed...gassed...overdosed. 

It's not the fault of the animal shelter workers, either.  The responsibility lies squarely on our own shoulders.  Consider these statistics: 

(Many of these numbers come from HSUS (Humane Society of the United States  www.hsus.org).  HSUS is a awareness raising/political action organization - they don't run shelters themselves.  But a large number of the shelters nationwide are members of HSUS so this allows them to do some relatively good population studies). 

It's estimated that there are 4000~6000 private humane societies and animal shelters around the country.  While the industry as a whole could use better organization, most of these people are very passionate and emotional about the business and don't always agree with the way other shelters do their business. 

How many animals enter U.S. shelters each year? 

Shelters in the United States accept 8 to 12 million animals each year.  Cats typically account for roughly 40%  (3~5million) 

Of that number, how many are returned to their owners? 

An  estimated 4 percent of cats and 14 percent of dogs are returned to their owners.  25 to 35 percent of all animals who enter U.S. shelters are adopted by new owners.  For some reason cat owners seem inclined to believe that their companion is just roaming and will be back in a few days.  Many municipal shelters will only hold an animal for 72 hours before placing for adoption or putting down.  By the time that cat owners starts looking it may already be too late.  Many people take stray cats for granted and very few people think to take a stray to the shelter. 

Of that number, how many animals are euthanized each year? 

An average of 55~70 percent are euthanized yearly or roughly 4~8 million pets each year. 

At what age can a fertile cat have her first litter? 

Cats can begin breeding when they reach puberty, which occurs when they are between four and twelve months old. Gestation period is 58 to 65 days and the average feline litter contains four to six kittens. 

How many litters can the average fertile cat produce? 

The average fertile cat can produce about three litters per year and, without spaying, one female and her offspring can conceivably produce 420,000 descendants within seven years. 

What can I do to help prevent this needless tragedy?

PLEASE, SPAY OR NEUTER YOUR PETS!

That's the biggest help you can give to this problem.  If you already have, then contribute donations to help others who may not be able to afford the operations spay or neuter their pets.  Your cat and/or dog does NOT need to have a litter to be a happy, healthy animal.  Your child does NOT need to witness the 'miracle' of birth to understand the beauty and power of nature.  If you believe this, then maybe you should take yourself down to the nearest animal shelter and witness the euthanasia of unwanted cats and/or puppies, to better understand the needless death that goes hand in hand with such irresponsible behavior. 

Why should I get my pet vaccinated? 

Ever seen a cat dying of feline leukemia?  Rabies?  Distemper?  They're painful, very painful and needless ways to die.  A simple set of booster shots each year can keep your beloved pet from succumbing to these dangerous and virulent diseases.  If you love your pet, you will get their shots, you will have them examined once a year, and you will make sure they get plenty of good food, water, play and attention throughout their lives.  There are some controversies now surrounding vaccination, and you will have to make up your own mind, but bear this thought with you: death from disease is a slow and painful death for most cats and dogs.

What About Declawing My Cat?

Three simple words: DON'T DO IT!  Ever have the tips of your fingers cut off?  Amounts to the same thing.  If you don't want the cat to scratch your furniture, get a scratching post or a dog instead.  You see, cats scratch.  That's a fact of life, they're just doing what comes naturally.  Declawing is an inhumane and cruel treatment and many veterinarians nowadays refuse to perform the operation.  I say, all the more power to them! 

If you insist on allowing your cats to go outside, then PLEASE MICROCHIP THEM AND/OR PUT A COLLAR ON THEM.  When we lost two of the girls through an accidentally left-open door in 2004, we despaired at ever finding them.  We were VERY lucky.  Most people aren't. 

A Note About Persians

Persians are finicky cats and are often dumped by their owners because they will not use a litter box if it's dirty--so think before you buy a Persian...are you willing to keep its box clean and tidy ALL of the time? 

The bottom line is, folks, if you love your animals, if you view them as more than just property, you'll take care of them, get their check-ups, get their shots, and accept that you've made a lifetime commitment.  If for some unforeseen reason you have to find a new home for your pets, please take the time to check out the potential owners.  And if all else fails, remember, dumping a cat on a lonely road near a farm will NOT insure its survival.  Chances are that the farmer's seen too many cats and will either shoot it or shoo it away, at which point the feral cat will either die from starvation (Fluffy loses her hunting abilities as a pet) or decimate the bird population.  Better to take it to a shelter than abandon it. Think before you act.  It's only kindness.