SHENTON Park Cat Haven’s adoption sheds have reached capacity, with 400 cats and kittens desperate for a home and ready to be adopted this Christmas.
Cat Haven Marketing Manager Chandra Woodley said the shelter would comfortably accommodate 300, and could push the limit to 350.
“We had to create make-shift homes for the cats and kittens to live in,” she said.
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READ NOW“We had 60 cats come in on Monday alone and have taken in over 150 cats this week, meaning staff are working overtime and we can’t find places for the cats to live.”
Ms Woodley said the shelter would reach capacity each year during kitten season, but they would normally see the peak in either February or March.
“It’s gotten warm all of a sudden and all the cats have been breeding and so they have come in,” she said.
“We haven’t pushed the message we’re full as it was manageable up until a week ago, but it suddenly went nuts.”
Ms Woodley said she was hopeful adoptions would increase when more people were aware of the amount of cats in desperate need of a home.
“The message is to come on down today or on the weekend and find cats and kittens to adopt,” she said.
“The kittens go quickly because people take the kittens instead of the teenagers and adults, and they’re still really good fun and gorgeous but they’re getting left behind.”
Ms Woodley urged cat owners to sterilise their cats as the shelter would receive an influx each year.
“We don’t recommend you buy a pet for someone for Christmas but if you’re planning on getting a cat or kitten then right now is the perfect time to do so, and you would be helping us at the shelter by doing so,” she said.