By Brandon Graziano

P.A. SPCA in dire need of cat adoptions and foster families

Oct 21, 2017 | 8:00 AM

SPCAs from across the province are experiencing an overpopulation of cats and that issue is no exception in Prince Albert.

With winter just around the corner, the SPCA becomes integral as a shelter for stray cats. Ashlee Bober is the Floor Director with the P.A. SPCA. She said there’s a lot more cats coming in than going out.

“On average we have four to five cats come in a day. Sometimes we’ll get lucky and get maybe one cat coming in a day, but then there are other times where we’ve had up to 25 cats come in at once,” she said, adding only one to two cats usually get adopted a day. 

Bober explained the main issue that goes back to current or previous cat owners.

“Spaying and neutering has a very big impact on it. When people don’t spay or neuter their cats, it’s something that allows to repopulate very fast,” Bober said. “A pregnant cat can give birth from one to seven kittens in their litter.”

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To help alleviate overpopulation, foster home programs were created. One of the programs is called Barn Buddies. This program puts out a call to farmers to foster cats and put the cat to work by “keeping down the rodent and vermin population on your property.”

The program “offers cats that less likely to be adopted out due to age, length of stay at the shelter, are semi-feral, etc a second chance at life.”

Another issue when it comes to keeping cats and kittens, is the price.

Prince Albert SPCA manager of operations Debbi Kellet said the SPCA invests over $400 per felines before it is adopted out. That includes spay and neuter, vaccinations, microchip, vet check and 30 days of pet insurance.

“The cost to adopt a cat is $20 plus a $25 city license if applicable. It costs a lot for the SPCA to care for all these animals and it is certainly not easy to fundraise enough money to cover the costs. We rely heavily on donations and the community for help,” she said.

Currently there are roughly 124 cats at the Prince Albert SPCA, and 35 immediately available for adoption.

brandon.graziano@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @brandongraziano