There was a recent article in the Santa Barbara News-Press proclaiming that a new Tufts University study suggests sterilization of feral cats by vasectomy and hysterectomy works better than spaying and neutering. This just sounds crazy to me.

The article admits that leaving the hormone-producing organs in cats will result in continued mating behaviors including territorial fighting and urine spray marking. Besides curbing unwanted kittens, these are the very things that prompt public outcry and calls for help. Can you imagine how much wasted time would be spent following up false alarms of breeding cats when we are already behind in legitimate TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) jobs?

Spaying a female cat includes the complete removal of the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries. Neutering a male is the removal of the testes. In sterilization, the males would be given vasectomies and the females would have their uterus removed. I wonder why they don’t just advocate a less invasive tubal ligation rather than a hysterectomy if the object is to keep the animal intact but without the means to reproduce?

I understand the stated theory that the sterilized animals would continue to “mate” (although unsuccessfully), and thereby eventually reduce the size of the colony, but I really have to wonder about the overall good it does to the animals when they are left to their often aggressive behaviors.

Fighting males frequently suffer horrible wounds and abscesses that sometimes lead to gruesome death by infection. Spray marking is just nasty and smelly not to mention a calling card to attract more cats. Neutering curbs all of these behaviors along with the nightly caterwauling of “mating” cats.

One other thing the article does not mention is the overall long-term health benefits of spay/neuter for cats who will have only one trip to a veterinarian during their lifetime. There is no need to go into that here as the information is readily available on the web and your vet will back it up.

Keeping an open mind, Katie Lisnik of The Humane Society of the United States comments, “…While classic TNR may be the most beneficial in urban neighborhoods, there may be more rural areas where the cessation of nuisance behaviors are not as important as reducing the population quickly to help offset wildlife predation or other environmental conflicts.”

Personally, I hope this study disappears into the archives of failed projects.