we host once-monthly free Spay Days.

In-person interviews must be donea minimum of 3 weeks in advance. Surgery times must be reserved in advance. People cannot sign-up by phone or show up the morning of surgeries without prearranged appointments. We have 55 surgery slots available and most fill up early. We also have a "back-up" list to fill in for last-minute, unexpected openings or cancellations.

All felines scheduled for surgery must arrive at our shelter on Sundays and/or Mondays between 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p..m. for each Tuesdays surgeries. Up to 55 felines will be scheduled for free surgeries for those who qualify. Traps will be issued to capture all felines not completely domesticated or easy to handle.

Both ears will be notched for surgery to be free. If ear-notching is declined, a $15 fee per cat must be paid in advance. A separate spay/neuter program for $15 per cat, if tame, is available through us with Klamath Animal Clinic.

Our goal is to sponsor every month a Free Spay Day for notched-ear felines. Your donations help us fund this important program and we are grateful for every dollar you can give to help. Our FREE SPAY DAYS are costly to host, but worth every penny to save lives. Please be part of the positive solution. Our cost to host each once- monthly Spay Day is $2,000.00.

Our beautiful surgery room was created only through the generous donations of those who care greatly about cats!

Free Spay Day for Tame, Backyard, Semi-tame, and Feral Felines!
Spay/Neuter Program

Please note: We reserve the right to decline spay/neuter services to anyone, without notice, and have no obligation to provide a reason.

Policies:

A. .Those who do not qualify.

1. Individuals who are members, employees, volunteers, or associates with any humane society are disqualified from this program. These groups have sufficient funding to support their own programs. For example, the Klamath Humane Society took in nearly $800,000 in 2017. Only $44,000 was spent on veterinary care.

2. You do not qualify if, after the cat is altered, you intend to transfer the feline to a different location. Our program is strictly trap/neuter/return-to-same-site program. The cat must return to your property and be fed.

3. If you live in Alturas you are disqualified from the program because local veterinarians can provide spay/neuter services.

4. If you have a negative attitude or tend to be critical of our program, you do not qualify. Please find other resources to spay/neuter.

B. Description of felines and their arrival.

1.. This program is created for tame, free-roaming feral (wild), semi-tame and backyard felines, provided they are not disqualified in Section A, above.

2. Both ears will be notched for the surgery to be free. For those declining ear-notching, a fee of $15 will be charged per cat prior to surgery.

3. All cats must arrive at our shelter on Sundays and/or Mondays between 8:00 and 1:00 for each Tuesday surgery.

4. All pregnant females, or those in heat (estrus), are encouraged to be spayed.

5. FOP will loan traps for capture for the surgery. If more than one feline enters a trap together, FOP will separate the felines after arrival at our shelter. Never open a trap door! "

6. Tames can arrive in pet carriers and FOP will loan you a carrier, if needed. Do not put bedding in pet carriers, but use "wee wee" or kennel pads provided by FOP. Do not put anything of value inside carriers or traps because it will not be returned to you.

7. Once at our shelter, all felines arriving in pet carriers will be converted to humane traps unless the cat is a completely tame house cat, uses a litter box, and can be easily handled and confined.

8. Please write the sexes, if you are positive, of each cat and attach to the top of the pet carriers. "M"=male; "F"=female.

C. But you must understand that stresed, unvaccinated, not de-wormed tame, feral, semi-tame, and backyard felines can pose undetectable increased risks that can lead to sudden anesthetic death or unexpected death within days of surgery. Illnesses, such as upper respiratory infections and diarrhea can be problematic. Please contact us if you notice illness after surgery.

These predisposed risks come from::

1. Not prior de-wormed against roundworms or tapeworms. FOP gives de-wormer for roundworms for free.

2. Not prior vaccinated with FeloCell 3 against panleukopenia virus, and other viruses. FOP gives first FeloCell 3 vaccine for free.

3. Underlying, undetectable health problems are present, combined with fear from shock of being transported, or fear of being confined in trap or building. Presence of worms and/or fleas drains the health of felines.

4. Long-term survival issues faced by feline, such as starvation, repeat litters of kittens, lack of warm shelter, diarrhea, fear, etc.

*** You must bring the signed "Authorization for Spay or Neuter" form with you when you present the cats for Spay Day.

D. More Information:

1.If you are trapping multiple felines, Friends of Pets (most likely) may be able to help transport the felines to our shelter for surgery. We have a SUV to assist. We require you to pick them up at a designated time after surgery, unless an agreed upon exception needs to be made based upon absence of transportation.

2. Each trap, or carrier, must have well identified last names. It is helpful if you are positive of the sexes of cats to mark the traps or carriers with an "F" or "M." We will sex unknown felines.

3. We will assume you are guardian of each feline presented by your signing the "Authorization for Spay or Neuter" form.

4. The earliest felines will be discharged is 2:00 p.m., with first-surgery scheduling given to no-notched cats and those in outlying areas. You must inquire to the advised projected discharge time for your felines. If the weather is poor, such as rain or cold, it may be best that cats, with no warm shelter to return to, spend the additional night in our shelter and go home the next morning.The discharge time for all other cats is 4:30 t0 6:00 p.m. For cats needing more time to recover, their discharges will occur the following morning.

5. We have gone to great lengths to perform the safest surgeries for all felines. We are all working hard to make the day successful. We insist you appreciate our efforts and be respectful of others around you.

6. When you return to pick up your feline, please take a moment and identify your cats. We have gone to great lengths to prevent a "mix-up" during the day, but the responsibility is yours to identify your cat(s) prior to taking them home.

E. What to do when feline arrives back home?

We advise you simply release the feline from pet carrier or trap into the environment in which it is most comfortable. Please provide water food, warm shelter. Feral cats after surgery may disappear or hide for three to ten days; others may quickly return to schedule of feeding; others may leave and not return. It is our view the reproductive cycle has been the primary factor and spaying/neutering changes the dynamics.

Call us if you have concerns about the post-surgical health of your cats. Be informed of "After-care Instructions" given to you.

How to Care for Cats After Surgery:

1. Return the feline to its normal, safe, warm and dry environment. If the environment is not  warm or dry, possibly consider requesting the feline be discharged the following  morning. Surgery can inherently reduce body temperature.

2. Do everything you can to reduce stress once home. Stay observant of its activities to make  sure it is adjusting normally.

3. Immediately make available food and water once home. 

4. Female cats normally do not try to remove sutures. But if she is particularly stressed there is  a remote chance she can pull out the external and internal sutures. Males normally do not  lick the surgery site. But always be aware of a cats attention to the site, because their  mouths are loaded with bacteria and a rough tongue that will irritate the surgery site.

5. If a cat has undetectable, unnoticeable health problems and combined with surgery, a feline  can create illness within 7 to 14 days post-surgery. To reduce this risk is why we have  encouraged people to take advantage of our free de-worming and first free FeloCell 3  vaccine prior to surgery, when possible.

6. If your feline is licking the surgery site (male or female), stops eating, becomes inactive,  or appears ill following surgery, please contact FOP as soon as possible.

Kathy 541-850-0750