Mass free cat spay and neuter clinic Feb. 20

Around this time every year animal shelter workers across Sonoma County brace themselves for a kitty invasion.

This year, they’re fighting back.

In what may be the largest event of its kind in county history, all seven of the county’s animal shelters are teaming up Feb. 20 to offer a free spay and neuter clinic for cats.

Organizers of the event are expecting 400 cats — double the number of previous “spay-a-thons” — but say no one will be turned away from taking advantage of the free service.

Already, about 250 people have registered for the clinic.

Susan Simons, the event organizer and a volunteer at Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County, said she hopes to reach pet owners who want to do the right thing but don’t because of the costs involved with the minor surgery.

“The fact is, they can now do what they wanted to do, which is fix the cat. I’m really buoyed by that fact,” Simons said.

Shelter staff are hoping to make a dent in the number of kitten orphans that arrive at their facilities every spring. In 2008, 6,100 cats were dropped off at county shelters.

In just seven years, one female cat and her offspring can theoretically produce as many as 420,000 kittens, according to Simons, who said reducing these numbers will help prevent the euthanasia of otherwise healthy cats.

About 60 veterinarians and technicians are donating their time for the one-day spay and neuter clinic, along with 200 other volunteers.

The clinic will run from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and operate like an assembly line, with one cat after another going under the knife.

“It’s a well-oiled machine. They’re all qualified and experienced people,” Simons said of the vets taking part in the event. “It’s going to be just like if you took them (cats) to a pet hospital or clinic.”

The $9,000 cost for supplies and publicity was underwritten by the Salatko Animal Welfare Fund.

In addition to the no-cost spay and neuter service, the clinic also will offer free vaccinations and microchips, courtesy of VIP Petcare Services.

To register for the clinic, call 586-6651. You’ll be assigned a time and a shelter to take your cat on the day of the clinic.

Participating shelters include Forgotten Felines, Healdsburg Animal Shelter, Petaluma Animal Services, Pets Lifeline, Rohnert Park Animal Shelter, Sonoma County Animal Care and Control and the Sonoma Humane Society.