Reducing Kitten Season

t's that time of year when all the animals, including cats, are getting ready to bring new life into the world. You know, the Birds and the Bees, Spring Mating Season, whatever you want to call it. EVERYONE is looking for a boyfriend/girlfriend to spend those (sorta) cold nights with. If you have stray cats in your neighborhood, or worse, under your house, you know exactly what we mean.

The months that follow this amorous time is called Kitten Season in the shelter/rescue world, and while it can be super cute, it is brutal. BRUTAL.  We always get requests to take in more cats than we can adopt out, but from April - July it is nothing short of heart breaking.  Last year our shelter swelled from a very comfortable 80 occupants to  238 at our highest point.  We were busting at the seams of our shelter and at what we could physically, mentally, and monetarily  do as human beings.  We took in hundreds of cats and kittens over these months but the amount we had to turn away was in the thousands.  We lost staff that couldn't handle the tunnel with no light at the end.  Good people that left the rescue world because it's just too much.   

And believe it or not, it wasn't as bad as it was even just a few years ago.  

Why?  Because Spay/Neuter is working.  But we need your help to continue the impact and reduce the suffering.  The suffering of those cats that shelters can't take in.  The suffering of the people behind the scenes that want to help every cat and kitten, but can't. 

Now is the time!  Get your neighborhood cat spayed or neutered.  Don't wait until she already has babies and expect a shelter to take them in.  We were lucky enough to get some funding this year and are currently offering free feral (community cat) surgeries at our clinic.  Many of our readers aren't local to us, but many spay/neuter clinics have specials at this time of year.  If it isn't free, ask your neighbors to chip in.  Most people love cats and those that don't will probably want to chip in to prevent more in the neighborhood.  Organize a garage sale and take donations from neighbors to go towards the spay/neuter fund or come up with another fundraiser.  We've seen it work! 

We've had a great response to our free surgeries this month and have already spayed or neutered over 100 cats that won't be adding to the problem this kitten season! Thank you to those that are helping their communities in this way.  You're not only helping the one cat and future offspring, but the rescue people that work so hard to save these babies.

​~Together we save lives