Here are all Donald Trump's insults to women that Megyn Kelly asked about

[tblue37]

37. I have learned by talking with them that some men--not all, but some--actually think that

neutering a male animal means cutting off its penis! One otherwise intelligent older man I knew back in the 1970s asked me (when I pressured him about neutering his tomcat), "But then how will he go to the bathroom?!"

I think (hope) such ignorance is not as common now, but I doubt that it has been entirely eradicated. I do think most are projecting their own issues (like the guy who told me he didn't want to stop his pet cat from "having his fun&quot , but some probably are just confused about what neutering is.

Others are worried their pet will get fat or won't be playful any more.

I have persuaded several by pointing out the real dangers (from illness or injury) an unneutered animal faces.

Unfortunately, for many the issue is simply cost. Neutering is expensive. I have paid to have many friends' pets neutered over the years, and they have been grateful, since the only reason they had not done so was that they couldn't afford to pay for it. One of my cats is from a litter of four that were born because my friend's mother accidentally let her one-year-old girl kitty escape while in heat (the cat, not the friend's mother!).

As soon as those kittens were weaned, I had the mother cat neutered. I also had her female dog neutered. I had not known (because she was embarrassed to admit it) that her pets had not been neutered. She just kept them inside, assuming that would suffice. But a female cat will just keep cycling in and out of heat until neutered or pregnant, and one thing i can guarantee is that eventually, an unneutered female cat will escape and get pregnant--if she doesn't get killed first while wandering around looking for mates. Also, a female in heat will attract every male in the vicinity, and you will have to listen to the incessant yowling of the female inside and the males outside.

Furthermore, mating is not exactly a candy and flowers experience for the female. The mating process is stressful and even physically damaging, especially if several toms are angling for a turn.

And of course an unneutered male cat or dog is probably going to have to fight other males for an opportunity to mate with a female in heat, and those fights can lead to serious injury or death to some of the male dogs or cats.

I wish every community and every shelter had a free or low-cost neutering service for people who cannot afford to have their pets neutered. It would save the city money to prevent the explosion of feral dog and cat populations. Shelters could also save a firtune by investing up front to get every pet neutered, instead of having to provide for (and usually eventually kill) all those unwanted animals that even a small number of unneutered pets will produce over time.

Although I often pay to have my friends' pets neutered when they cannot afford to, I actually can't afford the expense, either. However, since I have gone to the same vet office since 1970, and they know not only that I always pay my bills, but also that besides always bringing in my own pets for regular care, I bring them innumerable new clients and pay for the care (not just the neutering) of many that are not even my own pets, they allow me to set up payment schedules when the cost is more than I can handle at once.

For example, one family's Bichon Frise that I was fond of needed X-rays and then surgery for bladder stones. The cost was about $1700 for the exam, the X-rays, and the operation, so after I made a $200 deposit, they let me pay it off at $100/month over time. I also paid for all of her heartworm meds, her regular check-ups, and her annual shots. The family's father didn't believe in spending money on pets (he resented that the mother had allowed the kids to have a dog in the first place), so if I had not paid, the poor, sweet pup would have had a very rough time of it.

I tease my vet that over the years I have probably been responsible for financing his house and putting his two kids through college!