BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — If you are looking to adopt a cat soon, June is the best time to do so, with it being national adopt a cat month. This also comes during a time when local animal shelters are struggling with overcrowding issues.
Right now, many cats here in Kern County are looking for a home as shelters become full and are unable to take in stray cats, but you can help by adopting or even fostering.
“Sometimes, unfortunately, we do get them abandoned, so we have to take them in. If they are left at the door, we have had some cats that are literally left at our front door or on the side gate last week or so. We also take in bottled babies that don’t have a mother,” said Maria brown Supervisor for City of Bakersfield Animal Care Center.
Maria Brown, a Supervisor for The City of Bakersfield Animal Care Center, says they have seen a recent increase in cats coming into their shelter.
“So I'd say on a daily basis, maybe anywhere from two to six cats a day. It depends. Various ages and various sizes,” said Brown.
With the increase in stray cats comes the opportunity for someone to give the felines a forever home.
One organization in Tehachapi that is dedicated to reducing the number of unwanted cats says not only does adopting benefit shelters and the cats, but it could also benefit the person adopting.
“It can reduce blood pressure, having a cat on your lap can just give you a peace, it can reduce depression and anxiety, all kinds of ailments simply can be fixed with having a cat on your lap,” said Founder of Fixin Feral Felines Gina Christopher.
Gina Christopher the founder of Fixin Feral Felines says if you are not able to adopt, fostering cats is another way to help the shelters and could also save a cat's life.
“When a kitten comes in, if it’s too young they call it t-y and the kittens will be euthanized upon intake because they are too young to stand on their own, so if they can’t eat or drink by themselves, and there is no foster available they are euthanized,” said Christopher.
Both Christopher and Brown agree that one of the reasons that there is a high increase in cats is because it is kitten season, a time where cats tend to reproduce more, and it is due to people not having their cats spayed or neutered.
“They are not being spayed or neutered, and some people see cats as a nuisance, so they are being dumped everywhere, and continuously getting pregnant over, and over, and having all these unwanted kittens out there,” said Brown.
Brown and Christopher say with kitten season upon us this is the best time to adopt or foster to help save cats lives.
