Cats Protection are running a special campaign allowing cat owners who live in the EH postcode, who are on a low income or benefits, to have their cat spayed or neutered for £5.
This saves a lot of money as the full price can cost between £80 and £120. The eligibility criteria is as follows: on means tested benefits, low household income, pensioner and student. Cat owners just have to contact their nearest vet and make an appointment, take proof of eligibility and pay £5 to the vet.
There are many benefits to both cats and owners of getting your cats “done.”
- Neutered females cannot become pregnant, adding to the number of unwanted kittens. Left un-neutered, a female cat can have up to 18 kittens a year.
- Neutered males are less likely to roam, reducing the risk of them being involved in car accidents
- Neutering means males are less likely to display territorial behaviour such as spraying, while females will not call or wail.
- Neutered males are less likely to fight, reducing the risk of them getting injured or contracting serious diseases such as Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) or Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV)
There are also many myths that people may have around neutering that we are working to try and dispel:
- Cats can breed from just four months of age.Cats will breed with their brothers, sisters and parents.
- There is no benefit for a cat to have just one litter.
- Females can come into season again six weeks after giving birth.
- One unneutered female cat can be responsible for 20,000 descendants in just five years! ,
To find details of your nearest campaign vet either go to www.cats.org.uk/neuteringeh or contact Sarah Cats Edinburgh on Facebook. If cat owners have genuine difficulty in getting their cats to the vet please contact Sarah Cats Edinburgh on Facebook and I will try and assist.
Nearby vets to the Wester Hailes area include:
Thistle Veterinary Health Centre, 1 Acorn Rigg, EH14 3BF, T: 0131 4536699
Dundas Vet Group, 114 Oxgangs Road EH10 7AZ T: 0131 4455777
Cats Protection believes neutering is an essential part of being a loving and caring owner and helps neuter 163,000 cats and kittens each year. The charity recommends that cats and kittens are neutered from around four months of age.
http://www.digitalsentinel.net/uploads/2016/05/SMOD-Edinburgh-vet-list.pdf
