The Feline Fix by Five (months) campaign saves lives

OAA is proud to partner with United Spay Alliance, and serve as the Statewide Leader for Ohio. Together, we are overcoming obstacles to help more families find the resources they need to get their pets spayed and neutered. Because when more pets are spayed and neutered, fewer animals enter shelters.

Feline Fix by Five strives to increase awareness of the ideal time to spay/neuter cats – before five months of age.

The goal is simple. Spread the word cats can and should be spayed/neutered by five months of age, or even earlier (cats can become pregnant at four months of age). Early spay/neuter is essential to avoiding unwanted litters. According to the 2016 statement of the Veterinary Task Force on Feline Sterilization: 

Given the known benefits of sterilization and the lack of evidence for harm related to age at which the procedure is performed, the Veterinary Task Force on Feline Sterilization calls for veterinary practitioners and professional associations to recommend sterilization of cats by five months of age.

The key is to “beat the heat”—that is, to ensure that cats are spayed/neutered before their first heat. Far too many kittens (and pups) are born to mothers who would be spayed after the first litter was born. Far too many unwanted cats end up as strays or in shelters and euthanized. We can put an end to this with early spay/neuter.

The American Veterinarian Medical Association is among the organizations that endorse Feline Fix by Five.

Visit Feline Fix by Five to learn more about the campaign and see the list of major organizations that have endorsed fixing by five months, and also find helpful resources to push these efforts in Ohio communities.