Why is spaying and neutering so important?

In 2010, over 3,500 cats were euthanized at the Martinez shelter. There are two reasons that many were killed.

1. There are too many  adoptable  cats born in Contra Costa county and not enough homes to adopt them each year.

• CSN helps families spay their pets  before a litter is born  so that all adoptable kittens can find a home. With no excess, none will need to be killed.

 2. There are too many feral and homeless cats on the street. At the shelter, if labeled untreatable/ unadoptable they are killed. (some of these are friendly but so scared that they are labeled feral and therefore "unadoptable"). 

• CSN helps residents get these cats in the neighborhoods spayed and neutered so the problem will not grow. Feeding these altered cats gives them quality of life and good health without re-producing.
• Cat Support Network believes the best way to address the feline overpopulation problem is to help cats BEFORE they reach the shelter. That is why our volunteers help alter the cats in the neighborhoods.
• Lives can be saved and the quality of life improved for the residents and cats in Contra Costa County if we can curb overpopulation in our neighborhoods. That means getting the female cats spayed BEFORE they have a litter.