35 cats rescued from Monroe County home, shelter seeks donations
(CBS DETROIT) - Several kittens were rescued from a Monroe County home after a family member of the homeowner started hearing meowing.
The family member heard kittens crying at the home in LaSalle and thought they would find a litter of kittens, but after looking around, they discovered it was seven litters that ranged in age from three days old to 4 weeks old. They also found the moms and other cats, who needed medical attention, bringing the total number of cats rescued to 35.
Friends of Companion Animals (FOCA), an all-volunteer feline rescue and adoption center in Monroe, says the homeowner has health issues, including the onset of dementia.
"We've done TNR on over 70 cats in the last few months alone. In this case, what began as yet another TNR project turned into something much larger, but we couldn't turn our backs after what we found," said FOCA shelter director Penny Bly.
TNR stands for trap, neuter and return. FOCA says this is when feral cats are trapped in an area, neutered and spayed and then returned back to where they were found.
"Our hope at this point is the community will help us step up with donations of money for spay/neuter, medications for the sickly cats and supplies like food and litter. Then once everyone is old enough or healthy enough, they'll make their way to loving, dependable homes so adopters will be needed too."
The rescue says once they saw this situation, they needed to help. They are seeking people to help foster, adopt and contribute to the project financially if they are able too. Donations can be made here.
In addition, FOCA says its important to keep tabs on the situations of friends and family with cats, to ensure incidents like this are taken care of sooner rather than later.
"People are often surprised how six cats becomes 20 or more in just a matter of months," said Bly. "As many have said before, just spay and neuter – rescues are tired and strapped for space, funds and manpower."
