Here We Go Again...

By: Angie Whitlock, NCHS President

On March 5, the momma cats birthing babies were here.

On April 6, we had 30 kittens under 10 weeks, and 10 of those were bottle babies (mommas are of the humankind).

Now we have 33 kittens, 11 are bottle babies.

Cat rescuers know this as kitten season. They are adorable and they make us laugh. But we could find other things to laugh at and babies would not die if there were not SO many!

Troop 19394 of Girl Scout Service Unit 611-Cowetawood revamped the kitten graveyard to a Cat Memorial at Pokey's Place, because it is necessary!

Kittens make up the single largest group euthanized in shelters. When a baby is taken to animal services because mom has been killed by a car, coyote, or construction; animal services call NCHS.

Presently, there are less than 5 bottle-baby mommas in NCHS.

Who wants to get up at 4-hour intervals to feed 8 oz babies? I get it. But the solutions are not being followed. They are so simple. My daddy always said, "don't come to the table with a complaint unless you have solutions".

Here are a few solutions; SPAY & NEUTER or FOSTER.

• Just one foster home could potentially help 20 kittens each kitten season.

• Kittens who are abandoned by their mothers should not be handled by rescuers until it is a certainty mom is not coming back. Leave them be. In many cases, mom is out hunting or out doing her nails.

• Cats living in colonies behind target are not lost!

The best practice is to trap, spay/neuter, vaccinate and release. They will provide rodent control as a thank you. You could even sponsor a kitten kit or a momma cat. (a dog too)

• Decrease overpopulation

• Reduce roaming of stray animals 

• Increase lifespans to 3-5 years 

Visit our website for more details https://www.nchsrescue.org/ 

This is one season I do not celebrate. I wish it did not exist!