10/25/2026
🐈 Okay folks, time for a post to talk about the struggles shelters and rescues have been facing recently. We've already taken in more animals than we did last year, and we still have two more months to go! 🐈⬛
We are receiving more calls and emails than ever from folks that have found stray cats, many of which are kittens or moms with kittens. Many of these mom cats are friendly, meaning they were very likely someone's pet at some point. If your female cat isn't spayed, she's more than likely going to try to get out. There are so many animals in shelters that already need homes - we can't keep failing them by continuing to have kittens being born outdoors that are going to end up taking spaces in homes that could have gone to the already-born cats and kittens. These outdoor kittens face disease, predators, vehicles, and more, and if they aren't caught and socialized soon enough, then they end up remaining feral (and producing even more kittens) or end up sitting in shelters for months because they aren't as young and friendly as the cute socialized kittens. I myself am currently bottle-feeding two baby kittens round-the-clock, both found as orphans in different locations. We're all pooped!
Another aspect people may not think about? If we have to keep using up so many spaces in our neuter clinics for our shelter stray cats and kittens, then that means fewer available spaces (and longer wait times) for your own cats and kittens, which of course can keep the vicious cycle going (as then family pets get pregnant before we can fit them in). Getting your kitty spayed helps to ensure that there are more spaces for others to do the same. Spaying your female cat reduces or eliminates the risks of pyometra, mammary cancer, or getting lost outdoors!
It takes all of us to make a better world for the animals in our community. We pet-lovers have to stick together! Share posts, spread the word, offer to help your friends and family with transportation if they aren't able to get to their spay/neuter appointments, tell your neighbors about the risks and benefits of spay/neuter, consider adopting your next pet to help open up space for another pet in need. If you get a kitten from someone, pass along the names of spay/neuter options in their area and encourage them to reach out if they need help getting mom spayed. Keep cats indoors until they're spayed or neutered. Get them on the books when they're 8 weeks old versus 8 months old, and don't forget that while getting a brother-sister pair sounds cute, they will try to mate - they don't care about being related!
Speaking of adopting, adoptions have been slow as of late, but we know folks are still getting pets, as our spay/neuter clinics are busier than ever. We had a bunch more cuties get spayed/neutered at our spay/neuter clinic on Friday - photos going up today! In the meantime, here are Glitz, Glam, Shimmer, and Sparkle - four sisters around 9-10 weeks old that are ready to go home with you! All of our kittens go home already spayed or neutered - no waiting to get into a clinic! 😉
(This post is in no way meant to be judgemental or geared toward any specific individual - we like to keep things light when possible, but the fact of the matter is that rescues are drowning this year, and in order to help all of these sweet cats and kittens, we need your help, too. We are their only voice! And please don't hesitate to reach out to us for help with kittens, whether they are strays or an accidental litter. This post isn't intended to discourage folks from asking for help - we just want to be able to help you sooner rather than later! 🐾)
