We’re right in the thick of the furriest time of year: kitten season!
According to the ASPCA, "kitten season" refers to the year's warmer months when cats typically breed and produce at-risk kittens. The ASCPA adds that many shelters receive an influx of kittens during those months.
There are dozens of young felines in shelters all over the region now, but to make room for them, those agencies need to encourage more adoptions for the animals that already are there — especially older cats.
To help find older cats new fur-ever homes, Kenton County Animal Services in Covington has a unique adoption special this month. Until the end of July, all cats 1 year and older can be adopted for just $25. The agency says all of the available cats are spayed or neutered and have received their first round of vaccinations. They even come with a microchip registered to their new owner.
[PHOTOS: 23 Cats Available for a Special $25 Adoption Fee from Kenton County Animal Services]
There are plenty of reasons to give older animals a chance, says Sam Helt, volunteer coordinator at Kenton County Animal Services.
“There are a lot of benefits to adopting older cats,” Helt says. “You already have a good sense of what their personality is like and they’re unlikely to have any drastic changes. They’re easy to get used to.”
Helt has advice for people looking to adopt cats who have reached maturity.
“Adult cats all have some sort of backstory,” Helt says. “Be flexible when you bring them home for the first time, let them decompress and get used to your house. We also recommend spending time with them before you officially adopt them.”
For owners who already have cats and can't take on others, there are still ways to help Kenton County in making sure that the kitten population never gets too out of hand or...paw.
Helt recommends keeping domesticated cats inside and watching for stray cats without clipped ears, which indicates that these animals haven’t been spayed or neutered. Kenton County Animal Services also has a trap-neuter-release program in which a cat will be safely brought in, spayed or neutered, and then released back into the wild, reducing the stray cat population in the area.
Do you need to be purr-suaded further? All of Kenton County's adoptable cats are available for viewing online. Learn more about adopting by calling Kenton County Animal Services at 859-356-7400.
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