“Kitten season” is here; the first litters have arrived much too early this year. This isn’t good news for our community.
Cats can reproduce as young as four-and-a-half to six months of age, are capable of breeding twice a year, and may average six kittens per litter. Therefore, a single pair of cats can create a population of over 2,000 in just two-and-a-half years.
And there aren’t enough homes for them all. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, approximately 2 million cats are euthanized nationwide each year.
What can you do? If you have a pet cat or kitten that hasn’t been spayed or neutered, get it fixed as soon as possible. If you need financial assistance, call Home At Last in The Dalles (541-296-5189) or PROD (541-387-3647) in Hood River, which both provide discount services. If you have homeless, stray or feral cats or kittens (not pets) hanging around, contact Columbia Gorge Cat Rescue at columbiagorgecat@gmail.com. CGCR provides low-cost spay and neuter surgeries for homeless cats.
Please help these hardworking groups who are trying to create better outcomes for both cats and people. Also, consider adopting a cat or kitten from one of these organizations. We all need to work together to solve the problem of cat overpopulation.
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