CENTER TWP. — As cute and curious as they may be, cats and kittens have packed the humane society over the past month, prompting an adoption plea from shelter officials.
As of Monday, the Beaver County Humane Society in Center Township has waived its feline adoption fees for all cats 1 year old and older. The offer runs through July.
There are 162 purring cats and kittens being cared for at the shelter, which is a 41 percent increase from last June. Susan Salyards, executive director of the humane society, said she is unsure why the number of cats in need of shelter has increased so much this year.
In part, summer is usually the toughest time for the shelter because many kittens are born in the late spring or summer, and more stray dogs are taken in, straining the shelter’s resources.
Summertime also has a generally low adoption rate.
“With kids out of school, families headed out of town for vacation, it’s not always a great time for families to adopt,” Salyards said.
All cats adopted from the humane society are spayed or neutered, have been microchipped, vaccinated and tested for feline diseases.
Typically, the cost to adopt a cat between the ages of 1 and 6 is $65, or $30 for cars older than 7. Humane society officials said the average shelter invests about $300 into each animal it takes in for care.
Adopters must be approved through an application at the humane society.
Officials have limited cat intake to Beaver County municipalities only.
“Our goal is to save lives, but that is not possible when we are overcapacity,” Salyards said. “We hope that this restriction is short lived, and once we are at a manageable number, we will open our shelter to all communities for intake.”
The shelter also offers a foster program that allows residents to provide temporary care to cats and kittens too young or too sick for adoption. Cats in the program are provided all medical care and basic necessities, if needed, by the shelter.
In the vein of former “The Price is Right” host Bob Barker, officials also remind current cat owners to spay and neuter their feline companions. Salyards said a female cat can have up to three litters of kittens every year. The average litter produces two to five kittens.
The humane society supports Trap, Neuter, Return programs for feral cats in Beaver County. The service helps to reduce the cat population by taking in feral felines, taking them to a low-cost spay and neuter clinic, and releasing the animals back where they came from. A free TNR class will be healed at the shelter at 2 p.m. July 7. Registration is required.
Those who are unable to adopt or foster may make a donation of money, food or litter to the humane society to help cover necessities and medical treatment for all animals the shelter takes in. The shelter maintains a “wish list” of pet products, cleaning supplies and office needs that residents can directly donate.
For more information about adoption, the foster program, information sessions, shelter hours or donations, visit beavercountyhumanesociety.org or stop by the shelter located at 3394 Brodhead Road.