Humane Society to hold 'spay day' in effort to reduce cat population

Ann Seabaugh wishes more people would have their cats spayed. That way she and other veterinarians would have to euthanize fewer felines.

“We are seeing just loads and loads of kittens,” she said.

The Humane Society of Southeast Missouri hopes its upcoming “spay day” will help reduce the number of unwanted cats by providing vouchers to pay for the vet bill.

The Cape Girardeau veterinarian said it is heartbreaking to have to put to sleep a litter of kittens that were dropped off at the Humane Society animal shelter.

Dogs are dropped off at the shelter, too.

About 90 percent of those dogs are adopted, said Charlotte Craig, president of the local Humane Society’s board of directors.

But only about 45 percent of the shelter’s cats are adopted, Craig said.

In 2014, the adoption rate was about 30 percent.

The shelter at 2536 Boutin Drive in Cape Girardeau took in more than 3,500 cats, dogs, pigs and other animals in 2015, Craig said.

“We take in on average 10 to 12 cats and dogs every day,” she said.

This year so far, the shelter has handled more than 2,600 animals. Many are cats.

In 2015, the shelter received 1,323 cats and kittens. So far this year, 1,039 cats and kittens have been brought to the shelter.

About 55 percent of those cats and kittens end up euthanized — more than 700 annually.

In an effort to tackle the growing cat population, the local Humane Society will hold a “spay day” Thursday at the Salvation Army, 701 Good Hope St. in Cape Girardeau.

Thanks to a donor who wishes to remain anonymous, the Humane Society will hand out vouchers that will allow pet owners to have their cats and dogs spayed for free, Craig said.

She said she hopes the vouchers will result in more cats being spayed. Craig said the vouchers will be distributed starting at 9 a.m.

The vouchers will be honored by area veterinarians, who will spay the animals at no charge to the voucher holder. The veterinarians then will be reimbursed by the Humane Society.

Participating veterinarians are providing the service at a reduced charge to the Humane Society, Craig said.

“I think we will hand out about 100 to 120 vouchers,” she said, adding the donation will allow the organization to hold several “spay days” over the next two years.

Craig said pet owners don’t have to bring their cats or dogs to the Salvation Army. They just need to know approximately how much their pet weighs because spaying costs are based on the weight of the animal, she said.

Pet owners will have 90 days to use the vouchers and get their animals spayed.

Seabaugh, a veterinarian at La Croix Pet Hospital, said people should have their female cats spayed.

“There is always going to be a tom cat around,” she said, adding cats are prolific breeders.

A single female cat can have as many as three litters a year, with up to six kittens in a litter, Seabaugh said.

The population quickly gets “out of control,” Seabaugh said, adding a cat and her offspring could produce 3,000 cats over a seven-year period.

Seabaugh said she has taken in several litters of kittens at her office and sought to find homes for them so they would not be euthanized.

She said people often don’t think of spaying cats.

“A lot of it is the old farmer mentality,” she said.

People see cats as “mice catchers” and don’t worry if another litter of kittens comes along, Seabaugh said.

Seabaugh and Craig said they hope “spay day” will help change such habits.

mbliss@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641

Pertinent address:

2536 Boutin Drive, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

701 Good Hope St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.