The city shelter I just got my cat from doesn't check them over other than the staff look at them a little. They kill the owner releases within 24 hours if pregnant and 72 hours if they have the space to keep them. The strays are 72 hours too. They take an adult cat to the vet for you - the law - and you pay them a reduced fee for the spay/neuter. Only like they said they do not adopt out many adults because most want kittens. The kittens you have to sign saying you will spay/neuter as soon as they are old enough and supposedly they are strict about following up. I was taking a risk since she had not been checked over but this cat was deffinately meant to live - they kept her for 4 weeks! She caught and stole the hearts of the manager's daughter and the volunteer there and they begged and pleaded for her to be spared. She was sooo sweet! She saved herself and her kittens whom she had her second day there and they adopted all of them out. On an earlier post I noticed someone say that the vets were wanting to notch the ears of cats that have been spayed since it is so hard to tell. This may be a good idea. Debbie