Facts: ten million dogs and cats are put to death in shelters each year. An unspayed female cat, her mate and all of their offspring, producing 2 litters per year, with 2.8 surviving kittens per litter can total: 1 year: 12 2 years: 67 3 years: 376 4 years: 2,107 5 years: 11,801 6 years: 66,088 7 years: 370,092 8 years: 2,072,514 9 years: 11,606,077 An unspayed female dog, her mate and all of their puppies, if none are ever neutered or spayed, add up to: 1 year: 16 2 years: 128 3 years: 512 4 years: 2,048 5 years: 12,288 6 years: 67,000 Female cats that have not been spayed will come in heat (or estrus) at stages in their lives. This may happen from as young as the age of 4 months and recur seasonally (usually summer seasons with more daylight). The cat stays in heat for normally 4-6 days and during the summer season will come in heat again every 2-3 weeks. These periods may vary widely. The cat will come out of heat and the cycles will end once the cat has mated or the season ends. After giving birth a female cat may come in heat again in as soon as 7 days although this usually happens after about 4 weeks. Female cats can be spayed almost any time from as young as 4 months. DO IT!!!