In Memory of Momma Tabby

I feel so bad, as most people know we rescue cats. We took in Momma Tabby when she showed up in Feb. pregnant .We later found out she was one of three cats left behind from someone who moved off and left them (This makes me so MAD). She was a young cat and this was most likely her first litter. In March, we were able to bring her in the house and set a separate room up for her to have the kittens in, as it is cold out side. We had six kittens born on March 17, we have found homes for most of them, and we have the males. Around four weeks ago, we had her spaded and all her shots and have been slowly letting her outside to get used to momma Socks and Ginger Snap who we took in last year and had spaded. It was 9 o’clock Thursday morning and I thought it was still cool out back that I would let her stay out a little longer I had been bringing her in around 12. At 9:30, I heard a dog yelp and ran out the front to see two German Shepard mixes running from behind the house. I went to check on the cats, as they are good to stay in the back yard. In addition, Socks and Ginger were ok but I did not see Momma Tabby right away. As I got to the back door, I saw her climb down from a tree and run to the house she was limping and went straight under the house. I tried all day to get her to come out but no go. When Hubby got home why tried putting the kittens in the carrier to lure her out. We could not find her under the house. Friday morning he crawled under the house and was able to bring her out she did not look good and we rusher her to our vet. Her back leg was swollen and she appeared to not have any feeling and was dehydrated. We left her, as they wanted to keep her and said it most likely would be Monday before she could come home. We went to get some things since we were in town. Just before we returned, we called to see if they knew what the damage was and we were told she had just died. What can I say we knew we were taking a risk letting her stay outside but we did not think it would be from a dog that is not on a leash and coming into our yard that does not have a collar so most likely no shots and of course not neutered.
When I was in school and took a speech course I had to give what was called a persuasive speech . I choose having your Pet spaded or neutered. Here is some of it.
A. Pet overpopulation is growing as we have seen with the pets abandoned after hurricane Katrina. A female dog and her offspring can produce 192 puppies in only 5 years.
B. A cat can have babies as early as 4 ½ months of age. She can have kittens every 3 months and the average size of a litter is 6. This shows how one cat can produce close to 80 millions cats in 10 years. .
C. Animal shelter facts according to American Humane Association. there are more than 30 million puppies and kittens born in the US each year. Only one in 10 finds a permanent home. The rest die of cruelty, starvation, disease, poisoning, or accidents or they end up in a shelter. Only 35% of shelter animals are adopted. Last year (2006) 6 to 8 million dogs and cats were euthanized or humanely killed.
II. The primary causes of pets ending up in shelters is that people fail to have their pets spayed or neutered, they are either abandon or give up because of lack of commitment to train the pet.
A. Advantages of spaying or neutering your pet is they live longer focusing more of their attention on the caregiver.
B. The behavior of you pet is better . They become less territorial and likely to roam. A fixed pet is less likely to bite or run away from home. By staying home they are less likely to catch diseases transmitted by fighting. They are less likely to mark furniture and rugs and drive you crazy at night with all the howling going on.
C. Some health problems like tumors, breast, ovarian, and testicular cancers, uterine infections are much lower.

Please Spay and Neuter you animals. It does not make you less of a man. This for all you crazy males who think it is unmanley not to have their male dog or cat fixed. So Stupid.