Every now and then a thread comes along that touches a lot of people just the right way and this is one of those.

Lori, I'm glad that you are excited that the cats have had kittens. The picture is very cute, and I'm terribly sorry to hear that one of them has passed over the bridge. It's exciting when new life comes into the world and I understand your excitment that there are new babies on the way. It is good to hear that you plan to have the cats spayed and that is the best thing to do in my opinion.

I think the big picture is that it happened, and nothing is going to change that fact now. However, where most of the people on this board are coming from is that it "could" have been avoided... true. The bigger picture is that now the cats will be spayed and it will not happen again, and that is all that can be expected at this point in time, right now. There is a huge population of pets both mixed and purebred and that population needs help in the form of adoptions and rescues; not to be amplified by accidental litters. The only way to prevent accidental litters is through spaying and neutering, and that is all that I personally ask is to help the population by spaying and neutering before the next oops. I don't think anyone meant to be offensive, I just think that the nature of this thread leads to a bit more defensive/emotional threads.

I do expect to see more pictures of course, of the kitties and the new canine addition.