Let’s Chat: SNAP to it

By Linda Tooth on November 19, 2025.

As the weather starts to turn colder and winter approaches, I am once again very concerned about the feral/stray cat population in Medicine Hat and Redcliff. This is a challenge that is faced every year and those that help this vulnerable population know of the struggles faced in trying to keep them warm and fed.

I have done a lot of thinking and research into the problems this population faces and one thing that keeps coming up in conversations is the reproduction and subsequent birth of litters of kittens. For those of you that do not know, a female cat if not spayed can have up to three litters per year and in her lifetime she can give birth to 100 kittens.

A typical gestation period for a cat is 65 days and they can start getting pregnant at four months old. They do not know how to care for their babies as they are just a baby themselves trying to navigate life. They can also mate with their siblings. Now, I am not a scientist, as many of us are not, but I believe that is not a healthy idea for either of them. What happens to the mother and her kittens if they are tossed aside? Many are left to fend for themselves in harsh conditions and are not fortunate enough to find their way to an animal shelter? The cycle will then start all over again when the female is ready and a tom cat finds her.

So what can we do to help? The simple solutions are to have your cat spayed or neutered and if you choose not to have them fixed then keep your cat indoors. Now I want to make it clear, I am not talking about farm cats. That is a totally different population.

I am talking about those cats that live within Medicine Hat and Redcliff. If you do not think it is a challenge then I would like to set the record straight, it is! I have helped take care of colonies in Medicine Hat and am now working to help those in Redcliff.

If you are a cat owner and are facing financial challenges like many of us are, and are convinced you cannot afford the vet costs associated with having your cat spayed or neutered, I would like to direct you to the Spay-Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP) offered at the Medicine Hat SPCA.

The SNAP program is an opportunity to help those lower income families take advantage of a reduced cost to have your cat spayed or neutered. According to the Medicine Hat SPCA website “Spayed and neutered animals live longer, healthier lives, are less aggressive, and surgery is cheaper than caring for a litter of newborn pets”.

Currently, this program is offered in partnership with the City of Medicine Hat and Cypress County. Going forward my hope is that the City of Medicine Hat, and Cypress County will continue to help fund this awesome program. For newly elected Mayor Czember and town councillors in Redcliff, I hope you will see the value of helping to fund the SNAP program offered at the Medicine Hat SPCA.

Have a Meowtastic Day and keep reading!

Linda Tooth is a philanthropy and youth support worker, YMCA of Southeastern Alberta