Kitten season is in full swing at Warren County Animal Control and Adoption Center and it is keeping the facility purring at full capacity.
It was scarcely two months ago when Animal Control had a reduced number of pets and many were moved from their care into forever homes without much delay. Recently, Animal Control has received possibly five pregnant cats and nine litters – a substantial uptick from numbers in April.
The number of cats and kittens coming into the facility have exceeded capacity, as it receives pregnant cats or cats with litters at increasing rates.
“In mid-April, we began getting more and more cats,” said director Sherri Bradley. “Now we have 47 cats total in the care of WCACAC and foster homes. Thirty-two are in the shelter and another 15 are in foster homes, and they are moving slowly. The average time a cat spends here is three weeks to, in some cases, months.”
Cats currently in the shelter range in age from kitten to older adult, providing a whole range of temperaments and life stages for those who wish to adopt a cat of a particular age. All cats adopted from Animal Control must be spayed or neutered as part of the contract for adopting them, helping to reduce the amount of unnecessary litters.
Despite the number of cats the facility already cares for, there are over 30 cats on a waiting list to be accepted into the shelter once space becomes available, indicating there is no shortage of cats needing homes and assistance in the county.
“The numbers we are seeing are caused by irresponsible owners not spaying and neutering their animals,” Bradley said of the root of the cat problem Warren County is facing. “People don’t get their animals spayed or neutered and then they continue to multiply faster than we can get it under control.”
Help is available in the community for those needing assistance with spaying and neutering their pets. Bradley welcomes the public to call or message the center for information about getting pets fixed, as it is able to work with other animal welfare groups and programs to help owners be responsible with their pets. Sterilization and education about the issues at hand, said Bradley, are the keys to curbing the rise in unwanted litters.
Bradley says volunteering time to help socialize cats, offering foster care to allow them to help more pets in need and donations in the form of Tractor Supply gift cards or payments toward vet bills at Sparta Road Veterinary Clinic are all great ways to assist WCACAC in its dedicated care of cats and dogs. Those interested in helping the facility by volunteering, fostering or adopting pets are encouraged to call (931) 507-3647.
