To fix, or not to fix?

This is Priscilla, our cat.  Last year when we knew that we would be moving out here, we got her for Isabelle for her birthday.

This is pumpkin, (male)

and this is Guido (female).

We got Pumpkin and Guido because the kids decided that Priscilla was lonely - she WAS running off all the time when the kids were gone to school.  We saw a free kittens sign just down the road, and when we stopped to pick up ONE we ended up picking up THREE.  I can be one of those sucker parents at times, and they were all so pretty that it was hard to choose! There was a white kitten, also, that has already met his demise.:(

Anyway, here is the thing. We live in a mice-infested area, and I would much rather have cats to take care of that, than to spend money feeding mice (de-con).  We do feed our cats cat food as well, but the cost comes out to the same, or even better, than what it would take to feed all of these mice, plus the cats are catching all the mice.

absolutely thrilled

But here is the other thing:  Priscilla just had kittens this week.  SIX of them.  This was a very exciting event for the kids, and I remember feeling so excited to find new baby kittens around the place when I was growing up. I'm glad that the kids got to experience that...but I'm beginning to have future visions of not being able to take a step outdoors without stepping on a cat because the ground will be swarming with them.  Imaginings that someone will ask how to find our house and people will say, "You know.  It's the cat house.  The one that has a gazillion cats all over the place.  And of the person saying, "Oh yeah!  I know exactly which one you're talking about!!"  So... we need to make a decision.  Do we take them in to get them fixed?

Because here is yet another thing.  I have a very strong superstition that you are setting up your pet for imminent death the second that you pay for something to be done for them at the veterinarians.  That's what happened to white kitty "Casper", and a cat before that and a cat before that.  We live not too far from a very busy road, and our cats are out-door cats. You get the picture. I just don't want to pay out the money for nothing.

My veterinarian brother says, "bring them up the next time you come and I'll fix them all for you!"  But who wants to travel for 7 -8 hours with a car full of cats?

"Can't we just keep ALL of them? Please??"

So...do we just let nature run it's course and hope that there will always be people out there that want some free kittens? Or is it really worth it to take them all in and get them "fixed"?

I'll take names now.  Anyone interested?  Suzette? These cats are better than the one in your video!!:)