An act of kindness and an open discussion on spaying

Being an animal lover since childhood has significantly impacted my life. From getting a cat's teeth sunk deep into my fingers at the age of four because I didn’t know better than to drag it by the tail, to being ruthlessly kicked by a cow after petting her from behind, to accumulating at least a hundred scars from the 20 cats I’ve had over the years, animals have always been a big part of my life. I’ve often walked out of the house, at any time of day, to be greeted by seven cats and three puppies, all waiting to be fed. I’ve always had a soft spot for these living beings.

At my hospital, whenever I visit the canteen for snacks, I always look around for these little furballs, and they never disappoint. They’re always roaming about, looking for leftovers. Some of my colleagues, especially the women, bring cat food for these cats and kittens, and the animals have come to recognize them, waiting eagerly for their arrival. Others, like me, tend to feed them leftover chicken and similar scraps.

In addition to leftovers, I often buy bowls of milk for the cats. Most of the time, one bowl attracts so many cats that I have to buy a few more to avoid fights over the milk.

But today was different. Today left me heartbroken. I came across the weakest kitten I’ve seen in a long time. Alone, with no mother or siblings in sight, it sat in the scorching heat, motionless. I tapped it once, twice, and finally, a bit harder on the third try. It only responded on that last tap. It was so weak that it couldn’t even move to drink. I had to bring the bowl of milk right to its face, helping it drink.

I couldn’t hold back my tears when I saw the poor kitten in such a heartbreaking condition. He was desperately gulping down the milk with all his strength, as if he hadn’t eaten in days. Judging by how frail and weak he looked, that was likely the case. One of his eyes was infected, and his fur was matted and dirty. He clearly hadn't been able to groom himself for a while, which is a common sign of illness in cats.

Cats are known for their love of cleanliness, constantly grooming themselves to stay tidy and free of pests. So, when you see a cat covered in fleas or mites, or just generally unkempt, it's a strong indicator that the animal is unwell. Unfortunately, this was the situation with this little kitten. His neglected appearance and the infection in his eye made it obvious that he was struggling with illness, and it broke my heart to see him in such a vulnerable state.

Within a few minutes, the kitten's mother arrived and immediately jumped onto the bowl of milk, having it all for herself. I had to pour milk on the ground so that the weak kitten could drink as well.

This made me reflect on something. Years ago, around 2 in the morning, I walked out of my room and saw my kitten dead on the sofa. He had been battling illness since birth and was only a few weeks old. Right next to him was Arya, my cat, sleeping deeply on her back, completely indifferent to her dead kitten. I felt irritated for a moment. I picked Arya up and placed her on top of the dead kitten, watching the scene unfold.

Arya sniffed her kitten, turned her head away, and then lay back down, returning to sleep. I buried the kitten around three in the morning. Yesterday’s incident reminded me of that kitten, and I began to seriously consider spaying now more than ever before.

It made me wonder, why are cat mothers like this? Having had quite a lot of experience with cats now, I can say for certain that while mothers do take care of their kittens, they often prioritize themselves over their offspring. Why is that? Haven’t we always been taught that a mother would sacrifice everything for her child?

In cats, during the early weeks, a mother is very possessive and attentive, but as time passes, they seem to become more irritated with their kittens. Maybe it’s because the mother feels the need to replenish herself to better care for her young. Or maybe that’s not the case at all? Perhaps they simply don't care as much for their kittens?

Why aren’t cat mothers affected by the death of their kittens? Why do they seem indifferent? Or maybe they do care but just don’t know how to express it? Perhaps they don’t know what to do? Or maybe they've accepted fate and try to move on from the tragedy?

Now, moving on to today's topic: spaying. What do you know about it? Spaying is the removal of a cat's ovaries and uterus to prevent them from reproducing.

I used to be strictly against spaying, believing it to be unnatural. Why should we interfere with nature? That’s why I never spayed my cats, which resulted in over 20 cats in my home.

Over time, I began to notice stray cats and dogs, and I realized that when a cat is in heat, there’s nothing she can do about it. Preventing your cat from mating goes against their natural instincts and can harm their health. That’s how both animals and humans are made.

However, overpopulation of stray animals, increased death rates, and the spread of infectious diseases are also major concerns. After considering all these factors, I came to the realization that spaying is the best way to control overpopulation and ensure a healthier lifestyle for these animals. What do you think?