Well, kitten season is in full swing. Wow. This year seems worse than previous years, but the questions are why, and what can be done about it? Did people adopt a kitten or a cat during the covid lockdown and not have them fixed? Due to the state of the economy recently, did people abandon their friendly felines? In 2020, roughly 347,000 dogs and cats were euthanized in the United States. Almost 70% of them were cats and kittens. In 2021, two million felines were in shelters, and a large portion of them never made it out. For those of us that work valiantly to save them and to find them “forever” homes, these are depressing truths. Theoretically speaking, an unneutered male and a non-spayed female can reproduce to the likes of 420,000 offspring in seven years! (This is the part where I sign out loud.) On the upside of things, you can help make a difference!
How You Can Help
Spay & Neuter
Support local efforts with TNR (trap-neuter-return) programs. If you know where a feral cat tends to roam, contact a local shelter to see if they have the TNR program. Typically speaking, each shelter or rescue has a team of trappers that will come out to the location and trap the cat in question. If you own a cat or kitten that needs to be spayed or neutered but finances are too tight, contact your area shelters to see if they have subsidy programs that will help defer the cost of a spay or a neuter. Also, check out your state’s government website to see if there are grants or subsidies available. In my state of Massachusetts, they offer a voucher program. Below is a link to the Mass.gov page (I am still trying to figure out url shorteners – sorry!).
https://www.mass.gov/service-details/spayneuter-voucher-program
Foster! Foster! Foster!
It’s true! Fostering DOES save lives! A shelter is no place for a pregnant mom or a mom and newly born babies (dogs or cats!). All shelters/rescues do their best to reduce the spread of disease (because that is just another extra cost), and sometimes it is unavoidable despite best efforts. A fair number of shelters will defray the cost of “housing” them with you by providing food, litter, pee pads, medical expenses and extra necessities such as KMR. I fostered my first feral kitten quite some time ago, and recently got back into it. It is soooooo rewarding! You know that you saved an animal’s life. I still seem to gravitate toward the tougher cases (shy/timid/fearful), as I have the perfect spot in my house for it. Ironically, my shelter started as a network of foster homes until they opened the doors to a physical location. Last count was that we had over 70 kittens right now in foster care, and I’m sure the number has gone up since then.
Do Your Homework
Thinking about fostering? Your best bet would be to contact an area shelter to find out what the shelter’s requirements are for fostering (usually having a separate room is #1 on the list) and ask LOTS of questions. It is best to find out upfront what expenses the shelter or rescue will cover, and which ones they are hoping you’ll take on. Ask about veterinarian care — are you solely responsible for bringing an animal back and forth from the vet’s office? What if there is an emergency at 2 am? Are potential adopters going to your house to meet your foster, or do you bring the animal into the shelter? Make sure to write down any questions you have prior to contacting your area shelter or rescue.
If Fostering Is Not An Option
Circumstances can make it physically impossible to foster. Throw your hands up and say, “Oh well?!” Heck no! There are so many other ways you can be a part of the solution. Good at grant writing? Shelters and rescues can use every penny you can find for them. Retired and enjoy driving? See if you can be a “back-up” transport. No small feat with the cost of gasoline these days. Want to learn how to trap? See if your shelter offers classes on it. There is also a TON of resources online on how to effectively and to safely trap. Perhaps you are a carpenter or an electrician willing to offer your time. Painters! Calling all painters!!! Contact your area shelter to see how you can help.
More Ways To Help
- Join a committee
- Volunteer your time socializing kittens (it’s a tough job, but someone has to do it)
- Photograph shelter animals
- Landscaping
- Help with a newsletter or writing up adoptable animal’s profiles
- See if there is list of items needed (you’d be surprised – stamps are a hot commodity at my shelter)
- Donate old bedding or towels (even washcloths!) you aren’t using anymore
- Participate in “Chewy Gives Back”: Find Local Animal Shelters & Rescues | Chewy.com
- Participate in Amazon Smiles: About AmazonSmile: Program details and FAQ
- And of course, donate money or sponsor an animal
This is by no means an “exhaustive” list as each shelter has different needs. This is just to get your wheels turning on what YOU might be able to do to help.
