Several local organizations are teaming up in an effort to help control Central Ohio’s cat population as part of today’s Spay Day USA 1999.Spay Day is a national effort initiated by the Doris Day Animal Foundation. The event has resulted in over 250,000 animals being spayed and neutered in the last four years.Adopt-A-Pet Columbus, Spay Ohio and Boy Scout Troop 156 are sponsoring a low-price neutering special on Saturday as part of the national campaign. Cat owners who make an appointment can have their male cats neutered for $10.Paul Chakroff, executive director of Adopt-A-Pet Columbus, says preemptive measures such as spaying and neutering are the most effective and humane tools available.”For years, humane societies and animal shelters across the country have been euthanizing animals in order to control population,” Chakroff said. “And it doesn’t work with cats because the reproductive rate is so high.”Chakroff said one pair of cats that reproduce today would raise 10 more cats to reproductive age by next year. The offspring of those cats would bring the family total to 67 by the following year, and so on. According to statistics published by the Humane Society of the United States, over 20 million animals end up in a shelter each year and about 75 percent of them are euthanized. Chakroff estimates that 20,000 to 30,000 dogs and cats are put to death each year in the greater Columbus area.While some people may find it hard to sentence “Fluffy” to a walk down emasculation row, the actual procedure only takes about 20 seconds after the little guy has been anesthetized, Chakroff said.Registration for the local event is limited to about 150 cats, Chakroff said. Neutering normally costs $20-$30 at non-profit organizations. The Ohio State Veterinary Hospital charges $52 to neuter a cat and $83 to spay.Anyone needing information on Spay Day or local events can reach Chakroff at 459-7071.