The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Maui will hold a one-day, low-cost spay/neuter clinic for cats on Dec. 2 in Central Maui. The procedures will be performed by a licensed veterinarian on a donation basis; reservations will be taken for household pets, community cats or feral animals that have been trapped.
"All Maui cats are welcome," said Peter Tierney, SPCA Maui vice president. "Thanks to a grant SPCA Maui has received, pet owners and feline colony volunteers can pay what they are able to receive professional spay/neuter services."
Procedures will be performed by licensed veterinarian Celina Hatt, an expert in mass spay/neuter clinics. SPCA Maui's volunteer vet techs work alongside Hatt at stations for examination, sedation and pre-surgical prep.
Cats may be dropped off between 8 and 10 a.m., and picked up by 4 p.m. All cats must be brought in hard-sided carriers with the owner's name and contact information clearly visible. All cats will receive a tattoo for identification. Additionally, feral cats will receive a small identifying notch in the ear. Reservations may be made by calling SPCA Maui at 280-0738, or emailing info@spcamaui.org.
Although there is no official count of Maui's total cat population, some cat colony experts put a conservative estimate in the high hundred thousands. "The fastest, easiest and most-cost effective solution to our growing cat population is mass spay and neuter clinics," Tierney noted. "These simple procedures can prevent hundreds of future litters and thousands of kittens."
SPCA Maui provides a limited number of cat traps free through the group's trap lending program. A small, refundable deposit is requested to help cover the cost of the trap.
