Dear Sinéad and Siouxsie:
My cat, Callie, is about 9 months old. My husband thinks I should have her spayed before she goes into heat, but I think she should have at least one litter of kittens. I've heard it's healthier for her to have some kittens before she's spayed, and I want my kids to have the chance to see the miracle of birth. What do you think? Should I get her spayed right away, or is it really better for her to have kittens first?

Thanks for your help,
Marcia

Sinéad: Letting your cat have kittens means you're going to add a lot more responsibilities to your life. You have to make sure your Callie has a good and comfortable place to have kittens, and you have to make sure you clean the bedding regularly, get the kittens any medical care they need, and be absolutely sure to find excellent homes for them.

Siouxsie: Kittens are not like stuffed animals or toys that can get thrown by the wayside when the kids get tired of them. They need good homes just like baby people, and if you allow your cat to get pregnant, it's your responsibility to make sure the kittens will go to homes where they will get the love, attention, and veterinary care they need in order to be healthy and happy.

Sinéad: We feel that it's better to have your cat spayed before she has her first litter of kittens. There are so many unwanted kittens left at animal shelters or beside roads, or worse yet, drowned in ponds, that there's simply no reason to add to the overwhelming numbers of excess kittens.

Siouxsie: Some people think it's "healthier" for an animal to have babies before being spayed, but Mama says that there's just no proof of this in any veterinary books. Your veterinarian will probably tell you the same thing. In fact, our first veterinarian said it was fine to have us spayed before our first heat.

JaneA: Some veterinarians are spaying cats very early, like just after they're weaned, but the jury is still out on whether spaying or neutering cats this early is healthy in the long term. Sinéad and Siouxsie were spayed when they were about eight months old, and it certainly hasn't hurt them.

Sinéad: Yes, it hasn't hurt us at all. We're going to be seven (on May 1, hint, hint!) and we're beautiful, healthy, sensual cats.

Siouxsie: We never had kittens, and we're just fine, thank you very much! Who wants to be surrounded by three to eight little squeaking, demanding things that can't even see or go poopies by themselves? Ick!

JaneA: You were a newborn kitten once, too, you know.

Siouxsie: But I was different. I was cute and adorable!

Sinéad: Me, too!

JaneA: Of course you both were cute and adorable kittens. But let's get back to the question at hand, shall we? Marcia, you also said you wanted to give your kids a chance to see the miracle of life. I certainly understand that, because it is wonderful to see baby animals (and baby people) being born. However, there are ways you can see baby animals being born without putting your family and Callie through the stress of pregnancy and kittening. For example, Kelmscott Farm in Lincolnville is having its annual lambing days right now. My sister-in-law and my nieces went to visit Kelmscott a week or so ago, and they saw a lamb being born right in front of them.

Sinéad: I'm glad Mama didn't make me have any kittens. I'm sure I would have been a good mother, but it's so nice not to have to worry about it. I remember being in heat shortly before Mama took Siouxsie and me to get spayed, and it was so overwhelming! I just kept wanting to go out, and crying, and rolling on the floor, and I didn't know what was happening to me. Thankfully, Mama explained it later on and told me that getting spayed would keep that from happening any more.

Siouxsie: And if you know people who want to adopt kittens, animal shelters are overflowing with kittens at this time of year, precisely because well-intentioned people with beliefs like yours decided they wanted to give their cats the "experience" of having kittens and then decided it was too much of a burden to take care of them properly.

JaneA: If you want to adopt a kitten, contact your local animal shelter and see when they are open. The Town Line Animal Shelter, which serves the Belfast area, can be reached at 338-1403. The Camden-Rockport Animal Rescue League is at 236-8702; and the Humane Society of Knox County can be reached at 594-2200. All three of these shelters are no-kill organizations.

Sinéad: We'd also like to encourage you to open your heart to adopting an adult cat, too. Adult cats in shelters need homes, too, and since we're wonderfully gorgeous adult cats, we know that adult cats can be fabulous and loving companions, too!

Siouxsie: Yeah. What she said!

Got a question? Need some advice? E-mail Sinéad and Siouxsie at advice@paws-and-effect.com. None of the advice in this column is meant to be a substitute for regular veterinary care.