Monmouth County SPCA Dealing with a Feline Frenzy

A news release from the Monmouth County SPCA:

As the summer heats up and the temperature rises so does the cat population at the Monmouth County SPCA (MCSPCA). Kitten season started early this year and the MCSPCA is in crisis mode as the cat population has hit a record 565 cats.

“The number of cats we have taken in this year is double that of last year and it is only June. Every day the feline population increases at a faster rate than adoptions. We need help,” said MCSPCA Executive Director, Laurie Garrison.

There are three ways to help these purrfectly wonderful felines – adopt, foster or donate. If you have room in your heart and home, please adopt. The MCSPCA has many wonderful, loving cats and kittens looking for their second chance. As of now, the organization is running a Five Dollar Feline adoption promotion and Kittens are 2 for $50. Now is the time to get a new BFF (or two) who comes ready to go - spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped!

Perhaps a long term relationship isn’t what you are looking for right now, but you can still help the kitties at the MCSPCA. Fostering an adult cat for a month or two will help save the lives of 4 or more cats by freeing up space at the MCSPCA during this crisis. If you have an extra bathroom, you can foster a kitty and save lives!    The MCSPCA provides food and litter, all you need to do is provide love. If you would like to learn more about becoming a foster parent or a cat socializer with the Monmouth County SPCA please contact Perri Blind, the MCSPCA Volunteer Coordinator at 732-542-1036 or email her at perri@monmouthcountyspca.org.

Can’t adopt or foster a kitty? You can be an enormous help by making a donation. The MCSPCA does not euthanize adoptable pets and has one of the highest save-rates in NJ. “That is why we get overcrowded. We get no funding from the state or county, only through the support from our community are we able to save lives every day. Your donations help make it possible that every adoptable pet has all the time they need to find a loving home. Every donation, large or small, will help us through this crisis,” explained Ms. Garrison.

While getting the cats that are already here adopted is a top priority, the only way to stop the cat crisis is for people to spay/neuter their cats with the same diligence that is paid to dogs. Most people do not know that a kitten can have more kittens at only four months of age. Those kittens will then have more kittens four months later. Spay/neutering cats before four months of age is critical to saving more lives in NJ and this includes free-roaming cats in our community.

“Our goal is to have no more homeless pets, so that means no more unwanted kittens being born,” explained Francesca Alexander, MCSPCA Community Cat Coordinator.

The vision of the Alley Cat prowling the neighborhood nightly is not an uncommon one, but often that cat hasn’t been spayed or neutered. Before you know it, one innocent moonlight stroll has resulted in an unwanted litter of kittens. The Vogel MCSPCA Spay/Neuter Clinic offers low cost spay and neutering. If you would like more information or would like to schedule an appointment, please call 732-542-3125.

To learn more about adoption, fostering or donating please visit the MCSPCA Homeward Bound Adoption Center at 260 Wall Street, Eatontown, NJ 07724. The adoption center is open seven days a week, Monday thru Friday 1pm to 5pm and on Saturday and Sunday from12pm to 5pm. You can also check out our feline flirts online at www.monmouthcountyspca.org or call 732-440-1525 for more adoption details.