Cat owners residing in Blanco County can apply for $25.00 vouchers from the Blanco County Cat Coalition, Inc. (BCCC) to pay for part of the cost of spaying or neutering their pet cats.

There are a limited number of vouchers that are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Owners need to make appointments with their regular veterinarians for the spaying/neutering and take their cats and pick them up when the surgery is over. The BCCC will reimburse the veterinarians $25.00 for each cat that has a voucher.

The BCCC is offering this as a public service, to promote the welfare of cats in the Blanco County area.

Why Spay and Neuter?

It will increase your cats chances of living a long and happy life. Many feline diseases are spread through fighting and mating behaviors that decrease after a cat is “fixed”.

It will prevent unwanted litters that contribute to a vast oversupply of cats. This is a particular problem because felines, if left unchecked, can reproduces in staggering numbers over a short period.

It is the duty of every responsible pet owner.

Cats should be sterilized before reaching sexual maturity. For males this is called neutering (removal of the testicles): for females, spaying (removal of the ovaries and uterus).

Without neutering, the habits of a male cat ; marking its territory with urine (spraying); engaging in fights with other males; patrolling ceaselessly in search of females in heat (roaming) can nearly be intolerable.

The neutering process deletes these behaviors along with the testicles. Neutered males also experience fewer health problems.

Like-wise female cats that are spayed before puberty are spared such maladies as uterine and ovarian cancer as well as infection of the uterus. Female cats will also stop going into heat (a two week long trail of house soiling and howling that occurs three or more times each year.)

BCCC is a tax-exempt, 501-c-3 volunteer-based organization that supports the humane way of dealing with feral cats: Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR).

Donations and volunteers are needed and appreciated. Volunteer opportunities are varied and interesting. Meetings are held the first Tuesday of every month, alternating between Blanco and Johnson City.

Call the Cat Phone at (512) 318-5875 or visit the BCCC web site, www.blancocountycat.org, for further information.

The next meetings will be May 4 at the Johnson City Library and June 1 at the Blanco Library from 6-8pm. Public is welcome