P.E.I. Humane Society shelter at capacity for cats, kittens

The P.E.I. Humane Society is no longer accepting strays or surrenders except for emergencies, as the shelter in Charlottetown has reached its capacity for cats and kittens.

Development managerJennifer Harkness saidthey have around 110 cats and kittens in their care, a similar number to last July.

The difference this year is that fewer are being adopted as quickly.

"I think a big part of it is this week with the heat," Harkness said. "People are at the beach. They're at the cottage.They're in the pool. They're not thinking about 'Hey, we should go to the shelter and look for a cat to welcome into our family.'"

There is space for 65 cats and kittens at the shelter but they usually only fill it to around 45 to keep space for emergencies.

Keeping space for emergencies

"If our animal protection officers encountered a hoarding situation where10, 20 or more cats needed to be removed from a situation, we would then find ourselves in a much more difficult predicament," said shelter manager Nicola Ware.

Staff are also limiting the number of intakes to make sure the animals in care stay healthy. Harkness says the higher temperatures add more stress to the cats, making it easier for them to get sick.

"That's also part of, can we provide the enrichment that's necessary and the care that's necessary for each cat in the building to make sure that they do stay healthy this particular time," Harkness said.

They plan to increase awareness on social media and plan different incentives like sales to help get more cats adopted.

Out of the 110 in the humane society's care, there are still more than 60 cats and kittens in temporary foster situations. The kittens must be 12 weeks old before they can return to the shelter to be put up for adoption.

Time in the summer

Harkness said the summer months can be a good time for people who are thinking of adopting, as there may be more people around to help the new cat or kitten adjust.

"The more time that you can spend with your animal when they come home at the beginning is great for everybody and it is a time for them to bond with each other so I would encourage it," said Harkness.

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