The Prince Albert SPCA currently has four orphaned kittens at the shelter after the stray mother cat died due to birthing complications. (Prince Albert SPCA/Facebook)

By Nigel Maxwell

Too many cats

Prince Albert’s stray cat crisis growing: Animal protection officer

May 30, 2019 | 4:49 PM

Sixty-four kittens are waiting for homes at the Prince Albert SPCA and more are coming in each day according to the local animal control and animal protection worker.

Ashlee Bober said Prince Albert’s stray cat population is ‘out of control’ and said a mother cat and her litter of kittens rescued from a midtown garage were recently added to that tally.

“We are getting anywhere from one to two litters coming in each day,” Bober said.

Animal conrol officers picking up a litter of kittens last week in the Midtown area. (submitted photo)

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Bober explained a major contributor to the issue is people getting kittens and then abandoning them once they get older. She said getting a cat requires a serious commitment.

“It’s not a couple months, it’s not until you move to the next building, it’s not until you start having kids. It is a very serious commitment, I mean they live up to 15 to 20 years,” she said.

Other pet owners are simply not spaying or neutering their pets. Bober said the young cats, abandoned by their owners, are reproducing on the streets, and having litters and litters of their kittens.

“We lose moms and we lose kittens because their bodies are just not prepared for it and the cats are kittens themselves when they are having babies,” she said, adding they have seen pregnant cats as young as kittens brought in for care.

Bober said having one cat spayed or neutered, could stop hundreds of kittens from being born.

In September, 2018, the Prince Albert SPCA assumed control over Animal Control Services from the Prince Albert Bylaw Enforcement Unit.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell