Workers at two animal shelters one in southern New York and one in nearby Eastern Pennsylvania say the number of cats brought into their facilities has increased significantly over the past few weeks.
The Bradford County Humane Society in Ulster, Pa., reports 24 kittens and four queens were brought in over the last three weeks, according to kennel attendant Ashley Drake.
At the Stray Haven Humane Society in Waverly, N.Y., the total number of kittens taken in since April 14 is more than 30, some of which are abandoned with their mothers by owners unwilling to take care of the new arrivals, according to Stray Havens operations director, Rebecca Medina.
None of the 32 kittens recently received by the shelter are currently available for adoption, and can't be adopted until they are at least 7 weeks old, Medina said.
Both shelters say the high number of kitten arrivals is typical for the kitten season of March through late October.
The increase in animals caused a shortage of needed supplies, with only 10 pounds of cat litter remaining and dry kitten food in short supply at the New York shelter, Medina told a local newspaper, the Pennsylvania Daily & Sunday Review.
Both Medina and Drake told the paper that the best strategy for dealing with the increase in spring cats and dogs is preventative spaying and neutering.
Stray Haven offers spaying and neutering services, and the Bradford County Humane Society offers a monthly stray, marginal and barn cat spay and neuter program.
Posted: April 22, 2006, 5:00 a.m. EST