An estimated 5 million to 8 million animals are euthanized in shelters across this country every year. Many organizations are trying to decrease that number by opening low-cost spay/neuter clinics that will prevent more litters of cats that need homes. One such organization is LifeLine Animal Project, an Atlanta-based nonprofit shelter and clinic where more than 25,000 spay/neuters have been performed since 2005. WebMD talked to executive director Rebecca Guinn to find out about some spay-neuter myths and facts.

Q: Why should I have my cat spayed or neutered?

A: Shelter euthanasia is the number one killer of companion animals, and spaying and neutering is the only way to reduce or eliminate that. It’s also better for your pet’s health. And it’s better for you because it will make your life easier if your pet is spayed or neutered.

There’s also a financial side. It varies by community, but it’s about $100 for animal control to impound and euthanize a cat. Just in the Atlanta area alone, more than $15 million in tax dollars is spent annually dealing with stray and unwanted pets.

Q: Shouldn’t I let my cat have a litter before I spay her?

A: No. You shouldn’t for several reasons. It greatly reduces the risk of certain cancers if you have her spayed before the first heat and certainly before she has a litter.

And most places are overrun with kittens, particularly in the south. Overrun. And there is simply no excuse whatsoever to allow your cat to have kittens. There are millions of cats and kittens out there that need homes and millions more that are abandoned or handed out at places like Wal-Mart. There’s simply no good argument to have a litter of kittens.

There are shelters in the Atlanta area that can have 40 to 50 moms with litters in their shelters on any given day during the spring and summer. There simply aren’t enough homes for all the cats that get born every kitten season. And in the south, kitten season is almost year round. And there’s a kitten season everywhere.

Q: Should I let my cat have a heat before I spay her?

A: There’s no reason to do that. It’s a myth that animals should have a litter first or a heat before they are spayed. There are no health benefits to that at all, and it’s a much easier medical procedure if you spay before the first heat. All the benefits you get from spaying or neutering your pet are magnified by spaying or neutering before the animal reaches puberty.

Q: Is it OK to spay my cat when she’s just a kitten?

Kitten Care: Getting Started