Tag Archives: cats

Dying Man Surrenders his House Tabbies to the Shelter …Now They Wait

Her father could no longer care for his cats after falling seriously ill, so she brought them to the Aiken County Animal Shelter to be rehomed. The cats, most of them Tabbies and about 5 years old, arrived scared and confused in their new environment. They missed their cozy Windsor home and pined for their […]

Here’s What to Do if You Find a Litter of Kittens

By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director Spring is here and with the warmer weather comes lots of newborn kittens. “We’re already seeing a number of pregnant cats arrive at the shelter and kitten season should be hitting any time now,” said Aiken County Animal Shelter Adoption Coordinator Hillary Clark-Kulis. “Once it does, we likely won’t […]

Dog Cries Real Tears When Owner Leaves him at Shelter

A few weeks ago, I was finishing up some paperwork at the shelter and saw a handsome Labrador mix sitting quietly, looking up at his owner. She was surrendering him. The dog looked so sad and confused. His owner seemed upset as well. One of the veterinary assistants tried to soothe the dog, but he […]

The County Shelter’s Community Cat Program Works!

In 2016, Aiken County passed a resolution to implement a return-to-field program at the Aiken County Animal Shelter. Community cat diversion programs (or TNR — trap/neuter/return-to-field) like the county’s program have been hugely successful all over the country. TNR programs are a humane way to reduce overpopulation of homeless cats in the community and public […]

Please, Please, Spay or Neuter Your Pet!

Last month, 512 animals were taken in to the Aiken County Animal Shelter. More than 500 strays and surrendered pets in October! It never happens this time of year. We can’t explain it. To tell you the truth, it blows our minds and keeps us up at night. But there it is: after a summer […]

Aiken PetSmart Cats Get Care and Comfort from FOTAS Volunteers

“I like their purring – I love that sound,” says FOTAS PetSmart Volunteer Twylia Stewart as she strokes the fur of Kendi, a male black kitten who’s just arrived from the Aiken County Animal Shelter. “I also think they sometimes don’t get as much attention from people as dogs do. Everybody loves dogs, including me, […]

Feline FIV is a Virus, Not a Death Sentence

Each day as I finish my rounds at the shelter, I leave a list of things to be done for our team of veterinary assistants (three of the hardest workers on the planet!) that includes testing our newest cat residents for Feline Leukemia (FeLV) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV).  When I come in the next […]

Tips for Choosing the Purr-fect Shelter Feline

Adding a cat to your home can be one of life’s most rewarding experiences. They are terrific companions and easier to care for than dogs. Plus, most felines are great cuddlers, playmates and entertainers (there’s a reason cat videos dominate the Internet). Studies have even shown their purrs can improve your health and lower your […]

Fostering Kittens is a Proud Tradition for Windsor Family

“You get the love from the kittens and when you see one that you raised get adopted to a good home, it’s one of the best feelings in the world,” says Fran Bush, explaining the rewards of fostering homeless shelter pets. She should know. Fran and her husband, Don, are top volunteers for FOTAS and […]

Free TNR Program Saved Community Cats and Made Life Better

It started when a good neighbor needed to move. He left his feral cat colony, so my husband began feeding them. But years later, we found ourselves with more than 30 cats in two colonies. We knew we had to do something soon! Last fall, a viral infection or inbreeding caused uncountable and horrible kitten […]