Kitties galore: As kitten season winds down, Cape animal shelter is flooded with felines

When 3-year-old Ethan Maddox went to the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri to look for a new feline friend Thursday, he had plenty from which to choose.

Each summer, the Cape Girardeau shelter at 2536 Boutin Drive finds itself overwhelmed with cats and kittens.

Around April or May, they start receiving litters of kittens, said director Tracy Poston. That marks the beginning of "kitten season," which runs throughout the summer. The warm weather acts as a catalyst for bringing female cats into heat. One female cat can have at least two litters during the summer months.

The season usually begins to taper off in September, although in recent years, the shelter has seemed to remain overwhelmed into October, Poston said.

In a Wednesday phone interview, she said the shelter had about 25 cats. By lunchtime that day, four cats already had been brought to them.

Some days they receive just a few. Other times, it's "litter after litter," Poston said. They've received as many as 62 in one day.

Trying to connect the cats to new owners is a key goal, especially when numbers are so high. The Humane Society holds "Feline Free Fur All" adoption events -- the most recent one held the last weekend in September -- during which they waive all cat and kitten adoption fees.

Another important point is encouraging more people to spay and neuter their cats. Outdoor cats especially typically are not spayed or neutered, contributing to the overpopulation problem. When people bring in a litter of kittens, Poston said they make sure to ask whether the mother is still around to be spayed.

The procedure can be expensive, but the Humane Society tries to offer assistance with its spay and neuter program.

They host a "Spay Day" when they have the funds, Poston said.

On that day, they offer vouchers for free spay and neuter surgeries.

Cats brought to the shelter may be rescued after being dumped in a rural area or found near a home or business. Some people surrender their cats after deciding they no longer want to take care of them, especially if the cat is older or becomes difficult to care for.

Jackson and Cape Girardeau both have animal-control officers bringing in cats and other animals as well.

"It's a combination of everything," Poston said.

This year, there was one less local facility available to help during kitten season. Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary was closed after an investigation into the deaths of two of the shelter's cats. A consent judgment approved in May required the Jackson area shelter to send all its cats to licensed shelters or rescues and set special rules for the shelter to obtain a new license through the Missouri Department of Agriculture.

Safe Harbor has passed one of its first inspections required by the consent judgment. Passing the cleaning and disinfection inspection means it can apply for a new license.

"It shouldn't be too hard; it's just going to be labor intensive," shelter manager Montica Babers said.

She is filling out the application for the pre-license inspection. It will require the areas housing cats and dogs to be the "picture of perfection" to be approved, she said. The cat area is ready, although some damage sustained to the dog pen over the years still needs to be repaired.

Once the first inspection is complete, Babers said a final inspection will follow in 90 days. If Safe Harbor gets its license, it will be free to adopt out; if not, it will be another six months.

They can begin taking in animals a few weeks after the pre-inspection, should they pass, but Babers said they want to take it slowly in the beginning.

"I figure probably about a month after we can take animals in is when we'll start taking in, so that way it gives us a little window to make sure we have the funds and people know it's coming," she said.

Babers said she still takes 15 to 20 calls a day from people wanting to bring animals to the shelter. They haven't been able to take in any cats for about a year, she said, and she knows the cages at other shelters such as the Humane Society have been filling up.

Babers and Poston said finding homes for cats can be hard, since they are not always as favored as dogs. Just like dogs, each cat has his or her own unique traits -- some almost like "a dog in a cat's body," Poston said.

"These animals have their own personalities," she said. "There's a lot to be said about the companionship of a cat."

There are ways beyond adoption to support the shelter while its cat kennels are packed. Poston said food donations are much appreciated, since the shelter is out of donated food and buying more on its own. People also can volunteer to foster animals.

More information about the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri is available at semopets.org or by calling (573) 334-5837.

Safe Harbor provides updates on its work on its Facebook page, facebook.com/safeharboranimals.

srinehart@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641

Pertinent address:

2536 Boutin Drive, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

359 Cree Lane, Jackson, Mo.