Hard Times for Shelters

June is Adopt a Shelter Cat Month, and we at PugetPets encourage you to join in! Feline breeding season means hard times for shelters. The American Humane Association estimates that around four million cats end up in shelters each year. This burden is especially great on shelters during the height of the spring breeding season. June sees a massive influx of homeless cats and newborn kittens. To highlight this overcrowding issue, the American Humane Association has promoted Adopt a Cat Month® since 1975. The ASPCA Animal Hospital and kitten nursery are preparing for all the new felines in need. The ASPCA Adoption Center is also hoping to find forever homes for as many cats as possible. Other shelters around the nation and in the Seattle area are ramping up their efforts, too.

How to Help

Adopt a Cat

If you’d like to help cats and kittens in need during June, there are lots of ways to do so. Of course, one great way is to adopt a cat! PugetPets found lots of great online resources for information on adopting. Our favorites are PetFinder’s cat adoption checklist, Cat Adoption: The First 30 Days and PetFinder’s other resources on Cat Adoption. American Humane also has a cat adoption checklist to help you make the best adoption decisions. You can visit PetFinder’s site or your local shelters, such as PAWS in Lynnwood or the Seattle Animal Shelter, to find your new feline friend! To help you prepare for your new family member’s arrival, check out PugetPets posts on feline communication and cats’ emotional needs.

Get Involved

If your household isn’t ready for a cat (or any more cats!), there are plenty of other ways to get involved with Adopt a Shelter Cat Month. Here are just a few to consider:

Donate. A gift of funds or needed supplies can make a big difference to your local shelter during this time. Ask your shelter if they have a donation wish-list. Many shelters will also keep a list like this on their websites.

Foster. Consider being a foster-guardian for a cat or cats awaiting adoption. You will get the rewards of feline companionship and knowing you are helping to save lives, but without the long-term commitment of adoption.

Inform. Help raise awareness about the plight of shelter cats. You can do this by hosting a fundraiser for your favorite shelter, getting your kids’ school involved through projects or fundraising, spreading the word on social media, or just telling your friends.

Spay and Neuter. If you have a cat, make sure he or she is neutered or spayed. Because life is uncertain, you should do this even if your cat is an indoor cat. If you live in an area with feral cats, participate in a Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program, such as Alley Cat Allies or this one available through FixNation.com. Support free and low-cost spay and neuter programs and mobile spay and neuter clinics in your area.

For a list of some other easy and innovative ways to help homeless cats during Adopt a Shelter Cat Month, see these tips from PetFinder.com.

Adopt a Cat in June

Each year, during spring “kitten season,” thousands of newborn kittens join the millions of cats already in shelters across the country. Shelters that are already overwhelmed reach critical mass at this time. If you think feline companionship might be for you, PugetPets urges you to consider adopting a cat or kitten. Now is the time to adopt a cuddly baby kitty, who will spend his or her lifetime bonding with you or to give a forever home to an adult or senior cat seeking refuge. Many shelters waive adoption fees in honor of Adopt a Shelter Cat Month. Shelter staff are always ready to help you choose your very first cat or bring home a friend for another kitty! And if your busy schedule is a concern, you can rely on PugetPets loving and responsible staff to provide cat-sitting services for your cat or kitten when you can’t be there.