Wordy Wednesday - Neuter Day

The kittens are going back to the shelter to be neutered today. I know this makes some people sad; I hope this post will change your mind about that.

I know that going through surgery is hard, and I imagine not know what is happening makes it a bit harder, but kittens generally handle the surgery pretty well, waking up a little groggy but not showing any outward signs of really knowing what happened. Sometimes they will lick their incisions and their shaved bits, but it appears to be more of a 'this is so weird' kind of feeling more than anything else. I've had a few pick at the glue they use to close up the incisions and generally when this happens it is because there are a few extra bits of glue sticking to their skin. I know I can't ignore it when I have super glue on my skin.

I also know that there is some risk to the surgery. I have had a small number of kittens pass away while being neutered and one in particular who "died" twice (points at Twee). Every time you sedate someone there is risk but being neutered is a very important part of a housecat's life.  Without it, they are generally not very good companions, caring more about reproducing than anything else.

There has also been some discussion about the harmful long-term effects of neutering and how a cat might live a longer life if they are allowed to progress into puberty or even keep their sex hormones throughout their lives. I don't believe the current information translates to cats. I also believe that the risks of neutering young and the possible risks of disease because of the lack of hormones is minimal compared to the known risks of the diseases that a cat faces when the hormones are on board. The behavioral issues are also a serious risk to cats. So many people want to 'get rid' of their cats simply because their cats are being hormonally intact cats.

So let's change the narrative.  Neuter day is a day to celebrate. It is a right of passage that turns a kitten into a housekitten. It is the day they get their golden cat bed and makes it possible for their humans to find them so they can live a long happy life.

An emotional day

muffin decided I needed to wake up this morning before the sun came up and pay attention to her. She became my hat, my scarf, my back masseuse.. she was quite insistent. It was sweet.

Kodi is taking that long trip to the vet today. He's been isolated for a couple of weeks now, and no one seems to be missing him. I don't think his loss will really be felt in the kitty population.. however I have a feeling that my emotions are reaching the cats. First muffin, now Emerald is sitting on my lap. She doesn't like to do that when I don't have a quilt over my lap.. (great big kitty, tiny little feet - and she needs her claws clipped)

I'm doing my best not to break down and sob all day, but its very hard. I need to go in there and feed kodi. Part of my brain has been trying to tell me that he needs a collar too, which seems like a bit of a waste since... well.. but I think I'm going to anyway. He had Em's old collar on for a while, and it looked so good on him. its got a safety latch on it, which em can easily undo when she scratches her neck... *reaches for tissue*

sigh.. this is going to be one very very difficult day

I was talking with Nancy at the shelter. She's the office manager. She was saying how its a difficult decision to come to - to put your pet to sleep. Actually, it was a pretty easy decision to come to. He's been beaten by this. It's destroying his quality of life, and in the end will make him very very miserable. I do not want that. But I will miss him terribly. I will miss the cat he would have become.

If you have an unaltered animal living with you right now, I hate you. Because someone didn't pony up and take the responsibility for their pet, this has happened. And sadly, I'm not alone in this pain. Every day multitudes of kittens are put to sleep because they got such a bad start to life.