Warning: the following may sound strange and more than a little wrong.
Make that definitely will sound strange and wrong: Happy Valentine’s Day! This year, show your love by removing a cat’s reproductive organs!
Barry White never crooned that one. You’re not going to find “neuter me, cutie” on a conversation heart. And Hallmark isn’t ready for the “If you love me, take my uterus and build me a weatherproof shelter” card. Yet.
But Tabby’s Place is ready. We were born ready.
More cynical sorts have muttered that you always hurt the ones you love. I don’t know if that’s true, but I’ll take this one to the bank: you always, always, always spay the ones you love. (Well, unless they’re male, in which case you neuter them. But you get the point.)
Stay with me a minute here.
Think of any cat you love. Spayed or neutered, right? ‘Cause that’s what loving, responsible pet parents do, right? No-brainer, yes?
Loved = spayed/neutered.
Now glide your mind’s eye to the cats behind your neighborhood Dunkin’ Donuts. Yes, they’re living on leftover crullers, which means Somebody out there loves them, but…seriously now, are they loved?
Loved with a “you are mine and I will do everything you need all the days of your life” love?
Loved with a “your best interest is my passion” love?
Loved with a “you are my baby and I will nurture you” love?
Loved not just with words and feelings, but with actions and awesomeness?
Loved with a spayworthy love?
Who loves the ferals?
I’m going to venture our little algorithm to include these wild, wonderful outdoor cats: you always spay the ones you love. Those brave, bold, beautiful humans who love feral cats are in the business of spaying them. Caring for them over the long haul. And giving them all the goods to thrive.
Let’s leave no feral cat unspayed or unloved, Felis Catus fam. The idea of unloved, outdoor lonely souls has weighed so heavily on us at Tabby’s Place that we’ve decided to get going and get spaying. This year we’re expanding from initial baby steps into a full-bore Trap-Neuter-Release program. There will be oodles more news about this in the near future. But for now, you can spay and you can love by sponsoring the TNR Fund at Tabby’s Place.
Click here to find out more. Please love them. Please spay them.
And happy, hearty Valentine’s Day to the best darn human beans in the blogiverse.
I wish every feral could have a home like one of ours or like Tabby’s Place.
I agree wholeheartedly that you should spay/neuter your pets and any ferals you can lay your hands on! In fact, we caught (let’s be honest, this feral is so tame it walked right in the house!) a feral cat a couple days ago and next week I’m taking her to be neutered and then she’ll be going to her new home. I’m so glad TP is doing yet another wonderful thing by having a TNR program. You all are the AWESOMEST!!!
The feral kitties in Ringoes just got a big break at life! 2 of my sisters and my brudder Pewter hve feral parents. Both their mommies brought them to my house before I got to live here. They (and their mommies) were lucky too cause they were all trapped (they were real scared at first) but they got to live here! There aren’t enough purrrs and meows in the universe to tell everyone how wonderful Tabby’s Place human beans are!!
I hope the TNR program goes well! When I grow up, I will do TNR. Meow! Have a great day!
Happy Valentines Day Also!