Spay Stokes

05/17/2026

Statistically speaking, “free kittens” often continue the heartbreaking cycle of cat overpopulation. Not every kitten ends up adding to the problem, but a high majority do. 😭

If you’re considering taking in free kittens, ask about the mama cat too. Is she being spayed? Is there a plan to prevent more litters? ✂️ People who take kittens without addressing the mother’s situation may unintentionally enable the cycle to continue. Ending suffering starts with prevention. ✅

And if you’re someone who suddenly finds yourself caring for kittens, your first priority should be getting mom fixed. 🐈‍⬛ I know money can be tight and resources can feel impossible to find, but even small sacrifices now can prevent countless future kittens from being born into hardship, danger, or uncertainty. Don’t wait. Make a plan. Skip that morning coffee ☕️ and start saving now.

Reach out to shelters, rescues, or TNR programs for guidance on safely rehoming kittens and getting mom spayed. Many organizations are overwhelmed, especially during kitten season, so they may not be able to solve everything for you, but advice, support, and information can go a long way if you are willing to be proactive. 😻🐾

05/15/2026

Feline Fact Friday

Did you know … Kittens can get pregnant as early as 4 months old?

They can have kittens by 6 months (while they’re still kittens themselves) — and continue having litters every ~9 weeks. 😳

That means kittens born in the spring can have their own litters by fall.

This is how populations explode so quickly — and why early spay/neuter is critical.

Spaying, neutering, vaccinating, and ear tipping community cats helps stabilize colonies, reduces suffering, and prevents more kittens from being born outdoors.

Be part of the solution.

04/22/2026

Kitten season when individuals need help now from rescues and shelters who are filled to capacity with the "can't you make room for one more" requests! Please promote spay/neuter for all cats, please help by becoming a foster, please support TNR efforts in your community! But above all else, please be kind to rescues and shelters during this stressful time!

04/19/2026

04/08/2026

Good resource for pet owners!

🐾 New Urgent Care Vet in Winston-Salem (Save This!) 🐾
Hey everyone! We wanted to share a newer option in Winston that we’ve started recommending to some of our pet parents — UrgentVet Winston-Salem.

We're following closely for their open date.

It’s set up like an urgent care for pets, which really helps fill that gap when something’s off, but it’s not quite a full emergency situation.

📍 Location:
111 Hanes Square Circle
Winston-Salem, NC 27103

UrgentVet
⏰ Hours:
Mon–Fri: 3:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Sat–Sun: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Holidays: 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Great option for things like:
Vomiting/diarrhea
Ear infections or skin issues
Minor injuries or limping
Allergies, eye concerns, etc.

From our side at Winston-Salem Dog Care, we’re always trying to help guide families to the right level of care depending on what’s going on — and this is a really solid option to have in your back pocket for those “something’s not right” moments, especially after hours.

Of course, anything major or life-threatening should still go straight to an emergency hospital.
Definitely one of those places worth saving in your phone before you need it 👍

If anyone has already been to any of their other locations would love to hear your experience! 👇

04/01/2026

Listen up‼️ I’ve got a PSA for ALL cat owners. 📣

I’ve been doing this for a while now, and there’s something I really want everyone to hear:

No matter how well you think you know your cat…
No matter how sweet + calm + friendly they are at home…

If you are taking your cat somewhere (like the vet or to the TNR lady), 🚫 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙖𝙩 𝙪𝙥 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙨 𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙙𝙤𝙤𝙧𝙨 🚫 thinking he or she is going to stay put.

When cats are placed in a new, unfamiliar, and scary environment, instinct takes over. And in that moment, even the gentlest cat can panic. 😬

Today, I met someone in a public parking lot to pick up her sweet kitty for a neuter appointment. We tried to transfer him carrier-to-carrier because she needed to take her carrier back with her to use for another animal. But, when didn’t go in immediately, she promptly picked him up…

And in an instant, he scratched her and bolted. 🙀

Watching him run terrified across a busy parking lot toward the road was absolutely heartbreaking. 😭

What followed was a long, stressful search, but thankfully, it became a story of kindness and teamwork.

The owner searched under cars.
Passerby's told us where they saw him run.
A bank employee kept an eye on the trap for me every 1/2 hour after I had to leave.
And a random customer found this scared little guy tucked away in a large flower pot by the bank entrance. 🙌🏼

He’s with us now, resting comfortably and waiting for his neuter appointment. And exhale!! 😮‍💨 I don’t think I could’ve slept tonight knowing he was out there alone. 🌌

So please, take this to heart:
Always use a secure carrier when transporting your cat.
Never attempt to pick up your cat outdoors between spaces.
𝙂𝙤 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙤𝙧 𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙏𝙉𝙍 𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙠𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙛𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙖𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙮.

It only takes one second for things to go wrong—but thankfully, this time, it also took a village to make it right. 💖

And thanks to Cheeto… for not trying to kill me as I transferred him from the large flower pot to my carrier! 🐾

11/11/2025