The problem is in the difference between the nature of the dog and the cat.

Actually, there are more cats in homes than dogs (US only statistic, I don't know about the rest of the world). BUT....

Dogs generally go into heat only once or twice a year. Cats generally never go out of heat until spayed or bred.

Although dogs are certainly notorious for getting out, a cat in heat, or a randy tom looking for a cat in heat, can escape confinement much more easily.

Few dogs are left to roam, most are confined in some manner or another. Only strictly indooor cats are confined. (And the type person who would not spay or neuter is not generally the type that would keep the cat indoors only).

Stray dogs are less self-sufficient than cats, and are either captured and euthanized or killed pretty quickly. Cats can roam for years.

So, we are doing our best to keep all those puppers and kitties (and buns etc...) out of the shelters but cats are disadvantaged from the start. The FIRST step is to spay and neuter. Adoption is the clean-up when the first step was not done.

Thanks, L4C, for bringing this to our attention. Even on a petlover's board, it always bears repeating, becuase we never know who may be lurking!