When Caren and Cody of Cat Chat asked me if I would like to
guest post on behalf of World Spay Day, I jumped at the chance. Nothing makes
me happier than an opportunity to
promote the virtues of spay/neuter as not only a safe and humane means
of reducing cat overpopulation, but as a procedure that helps to ensure your
cat live a longer, happier, and healthy life.
 |
Deb and Caren meeting for the first time
at
BlogPaws 2011
|
I first met Caren several years ago when I began blogging to
promote the book I was in the process of writing, The Chronicles of Zee & Zoey – A Journey of the ExtraordinarilyOrdinary. I was a complete novice, the blog was barely read, and I was
under the naive and ridiculous assumption that it did not matter, because I was
going to become a famous author once the book was published.
Caren and I clicked instantly – both of us cat-loving Libra soul
sisters who shared the same sense of humor and passion for books. I asked her
if she would be willing to read a rough draft of my story and give me her
recommendation for the back cover, which she did. Back then, the book was
written primarily as a heartfelt means to celebrate the feline species. I had
gone through an extremely dark time in my life as a result of being laid off at
48 years of age and it was during that timeframe that I was also helping my cat,
Zoey, raise an unplanned litter of kittens she had at 10 months of age as a
result of mating with our male Maine Coon, Zee.
 |
Book Cover
|
I can honestly say that the relationship I shared with these
cats saved my life and pulled me out of my severe depression. I began to
appreciate life again and I wanted to share the story of Zee and Zoey’s kittens
and my inspirational message with the world and that is how and why I wrote the
book. Did I know about spay/neuter and cat overpopulation on the streets and in
shelters? Did I realize just how subject to scrutiny and criticism I could be
opening myself up for because of these kittens?
Let’s just say that I did to some degree, but certainly not
to the point where I would have published a book if I felt I would be drawing
attention to myself in a negative light, especially about a species that I love
with every fiber of my being. When I wrote the book, it was meant to uplift
people as I shared the behind the scenes journey of my life with Zee and Zoey.
I felt I wrote with authority and if you asked me if I thought I was an expert
on cats, I would have said, “yes.”
Well, as a result of social networking in a largely based
cat circle of peers, I soon came to realize that I knew very little about cats
at all and that much of my understanding of them was fraught with
misconceptions and misinformation, especially when it came to the subject of
spay/neuter and cat overpopulation. Count me in the categories of “someone who
thought she had plenty of time to get Zoey spayed before she became pregnant”
and “what’s the big deal with one more litter?”
 |
| Zoey with kittens |
I was shocked by what I was learning - the numbers were
staggering – even one homeless cat is one too many in my opinion, but millions
is inexcusable and I became consumed with educating myself about cat
overpopulation. I could not comprehend how a country as well off as ours could
be responsible for such alarming figures, let alone that we were euthanizing
millions of cats as a means to controlling the population. I came to the simple
conclusion that if me, someone who is relatively well educated and has had cats
her whole life, did not know all the facts about conception, then how could the
mainstream public possibly fare any better? How could we get a grip on cat
overpopulation if we were not armed with accurate information to make better
informed decisions as a collective society? I quickly realized two very
important points – that you can never assume, no matter how ridiculous it might
seem, that everyone knows what you think is an obvious fact, and that change
cannot occur if you leave the problems of the world for someone else to solve.
You must become invested, however small or large the effort, in what you want
to change.
 |
| Dorian, Christine & Deb |
And so that is what World Spay Day means to me. I am now an
award winning blogger who has raised thousands of dollars and awareness for
shelters worldwide, a freelance writer for Cat Fancy Magazine and Catster, as
well as Secretary for the nonprofit Organization, Pawsitively Humane, of Miami,
Florida. Not only do I know that kittens can conceive as early as 4 months, but
I know that they can be safely spay/neutered at 8 weeks of age or when they
weigh at least 2 pounds.
I know that there are over 70 million cats on the streets
and in shelters. I know that approximately 75% of kittens that are born
outdoors will die. I know what a feral cat is and how effective TNR (Trap,
Neuter, Return) can be to managing their population and I also know that
spay/neuter significantly decreases the chances of uterine or testicular types
of cancers and infections in cats and virtually reduces the negative behavioral
issues associated with an unaltered cat such as loud yowling, spraying and
territory marking, and aggressive fighting.
I also know all the reasons and excuses people give for not
spaying or neutering their cat. I know all of it because I have made it my
purpose in life – to educate others about just how vitally important
spay/neuter is if we are to reduce the overwhelming numbers of cats living on
the streets and in shelters, or worse, tragically euthanized because the number
of these animals is far greater than the number of people willing to adopt
them.
I am by no means the hero. The heroes are the staff and
volunteers who work tirelessly each and every day in the physical trenches of
the shelters and rescues trying to help cats. The heartache that they have to
witness is unbearable, yet they do it with such love, conviction, and
dedication. I can’t do that. But, I can write, and I can care. My voice and
passion does provide a crucial function and it is the torch to empowering
others with factual information so that misconceptions and misunderstandings
don’t continue to dangerously perpetuate. I can’t change the fact that Zoey had
kittens. But, I have no regrets, as they have led me on a journey I am certain
I would not have otherwise traveled. I took full responsibility for them and I
love them all very much. They have made me a better person and the strong
advocate I am today. I don’t feel that laying blame, pointing fingers, or
making judgments is the right way to handle problems. We all make mistakes and
we all can learn, but what is the point of those lessons if we can’t teach
others?
 |
| Kizmet-Adopt |
My greatest gift is when I know I have made a difference for
a cat – when I get an email or a comment on my blog that I have enlightened someone
with a certain something they did not know before. Or when my post is
compelling enough that it is shared with others. My greatest wish is that the
message of RESPONSIBILITY and why spay/neuter is so important becomes part of
mainstream society and not just banter in our current cat circles. Cat
overpopulation was created by people and people alone are the only ones that
have the wherewithal to change it. Let’s give meaning to this day and make it a
lifelong commitment to helping make the world a better place for cats.
I thank Caren and Cody
again for the honor of guest posting on World Spay Day. For more in depth
information on the subject of spay/neuter, please visit Zee & Zoey’s
Chronicle Connection for my month long series which includes:
FROM CAT CHAT: Cody and I couldn't be more honored to have had Deb Barnes guest post today. We cannot stress enough the importance of Spaying/Neutering your pets. For this day, we wanted something truly special appearing on our blog. Thank you Deb for accepting our invitation to guest post and for all of your efforts in educating the public about the importance of Spaying/Neutering.
