IRON MOUNTAIN -- The American Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals, or ASPCA, estimates there are close to 70 million stray cats in the United States, and local facilities, like the Almost Home Animal Shelter, are trying to cope with the overpopulation.
Currently the shelter is housing approximately 40 adult cats and 76 kittens. Shelter staff says the problem was worse two months ago when they had up to 150 felines. Even now, with 100, they go through 150 pounds of litter and 50 pounds of food per day.
“A lot of them have been litters that have been found that are stray, some have come in stray with their mother, and then, of course, others are just people not spaying or neutering their pets,” explains shelter manager Diane Luczak.
The Humane Society of the United States says a pair of breeding cats and their offspring can exponentially produce over 400,000 cats in seven years.
Almost Home Animal Shelter wants to lower these numbers and encourages anyone who adopts a kitten with an $85 voucher to help cover spaying and neutering.
The shelter says any additional assistance from the community at this crucial time can make a difference.
“We always can use cat litter, kitten chow, canned cat food, cleaning supplies, bedding--we use sweaters and sweatshirts for the cats--and, of course, monetary donations we have to keep the building for them,” Luczak says.
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