by: Marc de Jong

Aren't they cute? Yes, they are! A nest of meowing and crawling little kittens leaves only the fiercest cat hater indifferent. But does the world need more cats?

A cat is the second most popular pet in the world. People love them for all kinds of reasons. Cats are social, but still have a will of their own. They have sweet faces and love to be hugged, but at the same time they are predators that don't mind about killing a bird.

In short, cats are fascinating animals. The world would be a boring place without them.

Fact: the world needs cats. But how many?

According to recent figures, in the US alone over two million cats are being put to death each year in animal shelters because there are no homes for them.

That's shocking. And you can't blame the animal shelters for that. They do their best, within the limits of their budget. There are just not enough people that want to take care of these cats.

So if you have a pet cat, there is no need for you to breed. Don't worry, cats will never become scarce. Professional breeders will always be happy to meet the needs of real cat lovers.

Fact: the world does not need MORE cats. But how can you prevent new litters?

Simple. Get your cat castrated or spayed.

The answer may seem obvious, but still many people don't have their pet neutered. Some believe it is too expensive, or they think it will harm their cat. Or people just don't know how easy cats make babies.

But neutering is not as expensive as raising kittens. And although it may change your cat's behavior a little, there is no real harm done. Cats will only become more loving.

Fact: neutering is the solution. But what if your cat gets pregnant before getting spayed?

It happens. You left the door open for a minute, Molly went out, met Tom and returned with 65 days of cat gestation ahead.

Now you have a responsible task. Take care of your pregnant queen as good as you can. Get the right advice about what to expect the coming months.

Love your kittens. Make sure they get a good home once they are old enough. Because a nest of meowing and crawling little kittens leaves only the fiercest cat hater indifferent.