August 5, 2004

Shelter overflowing with cuddly kittens and cats

By Laura Fulda
Special to the Times

These days, Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV) is one big MEOW zone. The shelter is literally buzzing with the sound of kittens and cats. Kitten season typically begins in May and lasts through October, but the shelter started getting the furry felines in April and the onslaught hasn’t let up.

Cats are seasonal breeders and every spring and summer, thousands of felines are brought to the Santa Clara facility—as many as 100 per day. During May, June and July, the shelter took in more than 5,000 cats and kittens, about the same amount that it took in last year. Last year, the shelter took in more than 1,600 cats and kittens in August alone.

“It’s been a very busy season,” said Beth Ward, vice president of Animal Care for HSSV. “We struggle to find space for all of our kittens and cats but it is an uphill battle.”

To help ease the space shortage and get more felines adopted, HSSV has converted an office into an adoption room dubbed “Kitty City” that will house up to 30 cats and kittens. The shelter also partners with cat rescue groups to find more homes for adult cats, but many of them are facing space issues as well.

Ward says a majority of cats and kittens that arrive at the shelter are strays left on their own to breed and produce cats that no one owns. Other felines are brought to the shelter because their owners can no longer care for them.

While the shelter hasn’t had trouble finding new homes for kittens in its adoption program, finding homes for its adult cats has been a challenge.

“People come in and want a kitten and don’t even want to look at a cat that’s even a year old,” said Ward. “While kittens are cute, they require a lot of care and attention,” Ward explained. “Older cats tend to be calmer and can be left alone for longer periods of time. Plus, with an adult cat, what you see is what you get. There are fewer surprises,” Ward said.

Ward notes that the shelter has a large selection of cats and kittens. “We believe we are the best place to adopt a pet. We have nearly every color and breed you can think of. If anyone has ever thought of adopting a cat, they should definitely come to our shelter.”

It’s estimated that 10 million cats and kittens are destroyed each year in the U.S. simply because there are not enough homes for them. Ward says a breeding pair of cats can produce some 420,000 offspring over a seven-year period.

As part of its long-term solution to reduce pet overpopulation and unnecessary pet euthanasia, HSSV has an affordable spay/neuter and vaccination program. The shelter has recently spearheaded a new Homeless Cat Care Program, which provides information and resources to homeless and feral cat managers. The program is funded by individual donations, foundations and grants and promotes the trap/neuter/vaccinate and return method of controlling homeless cat populations to achieve zero population growth. Studies have shown that trap-neuter-release is the single most successful method of stabilizing and maintaining healthy homeless/feral cats with the least possible cost to local governments and residents, while providing the best life for the animals themselves.

More information on HSSV’s homeless/feral cat program can be found at: http://www.hssv.org/RESOURCES/ FERAL_CAT/feralcats.htm

Humane Society Silicon Valley also has a volunteer foster program where trained caregivers provide a temporary home for kittens until they are 8 weeks old, weigh at least two pounds and are socialized with humans. Individuals interested in becoming a foster parent for kittens, can visit the Humane Society’s website at: http://www.hssv.org/you_can_help/volunteer/positions/foster.htm, or call the shelter’s volunteer information line at (408) 727-3383, ext. 742.

The Humane Society sells “Kitten Kits” for people who want to care for unweaned kittens until they are ready to be brought to the shelter for possible adoption. The $20 kitten kits, which contain formula, bottles and instructions on how to care for unweaned kittens, are available at the shelter’s AlphaPet Supply store.

The adoption fee for a kitten or cat at Humane Society Silicon Valley is $145. The price includes:
- Professional health examination
- Spay/neuter
- First vaccination (dogs/puppies and cats/kittens only)
- De-worming (for dogs and cats under 4 months)
- Microchip and pet ID tag
- Free access to an animal behaviorist (dogs/puppies and cats/kittens only)
- Medical examination by a participating outside veterinarian
- Educational materials on the care of the animal