A special little lady who is recovering from an operation answers this month’s problems.

DEAR DAILY MEWS

I hope you can help me. I’m at my wit’s end. I’ve just had my third litter of kittens and I’m so tired all the time. I’m only 2½ years old and I am absolutely fed up with those big old smelly tomcats sniffing round me all the time.I used to be pretty, but now I feel jaded. I love my babies but my Humans rehome them as soon as they can. What can I do to stop having more kittens? I’m just exhausted. Jaded Josie

Dear Jaded Josie

I KNOW exactly how you feel right now because I, too, have had a couple of litters of kittens and I’m nearly 3. My owner would leave me and the babies outside when he went to work – in all weathers! - I ask you! My brother had told me about the lady who writes for the Daily Mews. He used to go into her house all the time for meals and cuddles and a few times he took me with him. I knew she wouldn’t turn the babies and me away and she always put out extra bowls of food and milk for us.

I took to spending more and more time in her house. Her ‘boys’ have all got lovely manners. Such gentlemen they are – not like those smelly old tomcats with disgusting table manners and bad personal hygiene habits. When it was time for my babies to go she took them to a special place where the lady found them a new home together. Such a relief. I did miss them but those ‘boys’ were all so kind and I had as many cuddles as I wanted from the Daily Mews lady.

Then she did the most amazing thing for me. She took me to the vets and I had a special operation. It’s called an ovario-hysterectomy in human terms but it is also known as being spayed. Josie, this means I won’t have any more litters of kittens. I have a tiny little scar, which isn’t quite in the bikini line, but when my fur grows back it will hide it nicely.

I do feel so much better already and when my stitches come out next week I will be able to do the things I want to do without worrying about being pursued by those dirty old toms wanting their wicked way with me.

I wouldn’t mind so much but they get you pregnant, and leave. They don’t phone, they don’t write, they don’t even send you flowers when you’ve had their babies! But when you’re ‘available’ again, they’re back without even an apology expecting things to carry on from where they left off!

So Josie, let your owners know that you want to be spayed. It will make all the difference to you, I promise, and what’s more, within a short space of time you won’t be feeling so ‘jaded’, you’ll be feeling ‘jubilant’!

Take care Josie and let me know what happens.

DINKIE

Dear Daily Mews

My name is Missy and I live next door to a lovely cat called Peter. We’ve been great friends since we met and I thought we had something very special between us. We are both 6 months old by the way.

Anyway, last week, something very strange happened. Peter was taken away for the day and I didn’t see him for a couple of days. When I saw him last night I was in a very playful mood and started nuzzling his ear and was generally encouraging him. But – the most awful thing happened. He just got up and walked away. He went into the front room to watch the football. Do you think he has met someone else or he prefers football to me?

Misunderstood Missy

Dear Missy

You say that you and Peter are both 6 months old and that you have started having amorous feelings towards him. I don’t think Peter has met anyone else, Missy, or that he prefers football to you. I think that when Peter went away for the day he had been taken to the vet for an operation and the reason you didn’t see him for a couple of days was because he was getting over it.

Missy, I’m afraid to tell you that Peter has been neutered and that he won’t be interested in having any amorous adventures with you or anyone else. Being neutered takes away the sexual drive and makes the cat a nicer companion.Unneutered tomcats are inclined to wander off for days at a time getting into all sorts of fights, and scraps, some of which can be very dangerous and life threatening. Peter’s Humans have done a very good thing for Peter although you may not think so at the moment.

I suggest that you ask your Humans to take you to the vet as soon as possible Missy otherwise you’ll have lots of smelly tomcats hanging around you looking for one thing, and one thing only.

You and Peter may not be able to have a family now, but you can still be very good friends.

Take care