APARC kitten Angela (adopted Saturday) sits on top of a box of food Friday morning at the downtown bookstore, The Page and Whisker. APARC is overwhelmed with cats right now and is asking the community for wet and dry food donations for the kittens. -- NEWS PHOTO MO CRANKER
mcranker@medicinehatnews.com@mocranker
Kitten season is in full swing and Alberta Pound and Rescue Centres is in need of help.
APARC’s Medicine Hat branch has more than 50 kittens living at the shelter right now, with a handful living at the Page and Whisker downtown.
“This is a combination of orphan kittens, cats with moms and then cats that come into our care pregnant and then give birth,” said APARC representative Sam Sandidge. “Kitten season is something we see every year, and it’s in full swing right now.”
Sandidge says orphan kittens are the most difficult to care for because they require extra care and attention a mother cat would normally provide.
“Kittens are labour intensive, and that’s why a lot of shelters choose to euthanize them,” he said. “Some shelters will use age as a reason to euthanize kittens, that’s something APARC won’t do.”
With kittens, a large cost is food.
“First they’re on milk replacer, which costs $20-50 and may last a litter one week,” he said. “On top of that, you have your kitten wet food and kitten dry foods. Both are costly and really don’t last long when you have this many kittens.
“Vet fees also get really expensive and add up quickly.”
Around 15 of the kittens are up for adoption right now at the pound and at the Page and Whisker.
“The litters are all different ages, so they’ll be going up for adoption at different times,” said Sandidge.
People who are able to donate food can drop it off at the side of the APARC building. Stores like Pet Valu allow people to buy food for APARC and will set it aside so the pound can pick it up.
Adoptable pets from APARC can be found at petfinder.com.
Donations can be made online at aparc.ca.
