7 Things You Need to Know about Cats during Adopt a Shelter Cat Month

June is Adopt a Shelter Cat Month.   This month is important for animal shelters/rescues to work together with the community to create awareness about the plight of homeless cats in their care and encourage people to adopt rather than buy a cat or kitten.    The reason the month of June was chosen is because it is the height of “kitten season.”  

7 Things You Need to Know about Shelter Cats:

1. Only 2 – 5 % of  shelter cats are reunited with their owners.   More than 30% of dogs are reunited with their owners/”pet parents.”    If a cat doesn’t have a microchip or some form of identification, there is little chance of a shelter having the capability to contact the owner.   Licensing our dogs increases the chances of reunions.   Would licensing cats help?
2. Mother cats and kittens are often euthanized when surrendered by animal-loving people who are trying to help them.    I’ve witnessed it firsthand.   Watching helplessly as the mother and her day old kittens are loaded into a cardboard carrier knowing they’re going to die before they even get a chance to live is enough to make any animal lover become angry and/or depressed which can lead to burnout.    I’ve been with the moms and kittens as their tiny bodies were injected with the drug that would ultimately end their lives.    In response to this serious issue,  Alley Cat Allies has created the Kitten Care Kit.

   It works like this:

   • Good Samaritans who find kittens are empowered to become kitten caregivers.
   • Instead of admitting young, unweaned kittens, the shelter gives the person who found the kittens the tools to care for the kittens. Or, the kittens can go into foster homes. The shelter provides a Kitten Care Kit with the supplies the new kitten caregiver needs, and instructions on how to care for the kittens.
   • The person who found the kittens, or the volunteer foster caregiver, cares for them until they are eight weeks old.
   • When the kittens are eight weeks old, or weigh two pounds, they come back to the shelter for a veterinary checkup, to be spayed or neutered, and receive vaccinations.
   • The kittens can then enter the animal shelter’s adoption program to find their forever homes (or be adopted by their caregivers)!
3. 100% of feral cats are euthanized at shelters unless they are part of a colony which can detected through eartipping.   When you see a cat with the tip of its left ear removed, it is the universal sign that this is a sterilized feral cat and part of colony with shelters and the cat community reuniting the cats with the person overseeing the colony.    Some cat proponents feel ear tipping is cruel and not aesthetically pleasing.
4. 3.4 million cats enter 3500 shelters each year.   This comes out to 9315 cats per day, 388 every hour and 6 cats per minute.   People either surrender or abandon their once-beloved cats leaving the dirty work up to shelters and rescues.
5. The only real answer to this problem is to spay and neuter your cats!   Cats can breed year-round starting late winter to into early fall with the heaviest breeding time during March -September; otherwise known as “kitten season.”   Right now, too many shelters take in cats and kittens every day leaving them overwhelmed.    A cat will go into heat every 14 to 21 days for about 7 to 10 days.    Once a cat gives birth, they are able to mate again in as little time as 7-10 days after giving birth but a typical period is 4 weeks.     Kittens can go into heat as early as 4 months of age depending on the breed.    At the age of 5-6 months, kittens have reached adolescence and are able to become pregnant.   Kittens having kittens which is why it’s imperative to have your cats/kittens spayed/neutered.     Spaying/neutering has many health benefits for your feline as well as reducing the number of them entering shelters each year.
6. Adopt your next cat from a shelter or rescue!   Trust me, shelters are never short on supply of cats.   The type of cat/kitten you can find can vary day to day in a shelter setting.    You need to go in person to see all of the cats instead of only peering through the photos of felines seen on a shelter website.   This never gives an accurate depiction of the many breeds, sizes, ages and personalities of cats/kittens they have.   You will give a cat a second chance at a permanent home who otherwise may be overlooked.
7. Shelter cats are NOT INFERIOR!  Most were someone’s pet who were left outside by their owners and forgotten.    They want to be loved again and be part of a family.

Tina Evangelista-Eppenstein is a television talk show host, speaker, writer and is an unabashed  animal advocate.   Her love for animals is what drives her to promote awareness of the many issues facing animals.   She hosts the show,  ” A Close-Up Look at Animal Welfare Issues.”    She adores her tripawd, Brody.   If you’d like Tina to talk to your group or have a story, please email her at tevangelistaepp@yahoo.com.   Like https://www.facebook.com/ACloseUpLookAtAnimalWelfareIssues and check out AnimalWelfareIssues.com for all the tv shows, articles,  and podcasts you may have missed!