Category Archives: community cats

2024, Cats, community cats, kitten season, kittens

We all need to do our part to control the cat population

Posted on by Shana Ryberg
Orphaned stray kittens, like Tang, are vulnerable to upper respiratory infections, which can do irreparable damage to their eyes. Treated when he arrived at the shelter, the vet staff saved one of Tang’s eyes and he was adopted to a loving home.
26
Jul

We are in the middle of our most challenging kitten season since the Covid pandemic hit in 2020. This year’s stream of stray kittens into the Aiken County Animal Shelter began in May and turned into a flood of baby felines that shows no signs of subsiding.

Kitten season is an annual occurrence, starting in May, peaking in July and August, and usually ending by autumn. Cats mate at a high rate during the warmer months, resulting in the greater influx of kittens.

During this time, it takes teamwork and dedication to save and rehome as many kittens as possible. Of course, the best way to avoid this surge of kittens is to spay/neuter cats before they can reproduce.

This year, the surge of kittens (and mama cats) has been more relentless than usual.
This year, the surge of kittens (and mama cats) has been more relentless than usual.

Pet owners need to spay/neuter their cats or we will never solve the overpopulation problem. Female kittens are old enough to have their own kittens at four months old, so it’s important to get them fixed as soon as possible. The County has a voucher program for citizens in financial need that greatly reduces the cost of getting your feline fixed at participating veterinarian offices and hospitals. If you live in Aiken County, vouchers are distributed to qualified citizens at the Aiken County Government Building.

For County citizens who have feral cats on or around their property, the Aiken County/FOTAS TNR program (Trap/Neuter/Return) is available free of charge. This is a humane population management plan where outdoor cats are trapped, checked by a veterinarian, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, ear-tipped to identify them as sterilized and returned to their territory, where they continue to thrive on their own. In 2023, more than 1,300 community cats were fixed through this TNR program. Please contact the shelter or email info@fotasaiken.org for more information.

Other ways to help:
– Adopt from the shelter: All of the County Animal Shelter’s cats/kittens for adoption are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, microchipped – and there is just a $10.00 fee to adopt them.

– Sign up to foster kittens. It’s fun and saves lives. Not all kittens in need are bottle babies – some just need care and socialization until they are old enough to be spayed or neutered, vaccinated and placed for adoption. Our staff will provide direction, support and tools (such as kitten kits) to help you.

– Donate kitten care supplies to FOTAS. The County Shelter needs kitten formula, warmers, feeding bottles, litter, wet kitten food and other items for our kitten kits.

– Don’t pick up stray kittens unless they are sick, injured or their mother is no longer around to care for them. Their best chance for survival is with their mother and her nutrient-filled milk.

Kitten season is always challenging. But if we work together, we can save many more lives, reduce suffering and stop the flood of felines.

Their lives are in our hands.

By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director

2020, community cats, Foster, fostering, FOTAS, kittens, News

Fosters and Citizens Step Up and Save Lives During Kitten Season

Posted on by Bob Gordon
09
Jun

Kitten season is upon us. A female cat can go into heat at any time of year, but the majority do so between May and November, and it puts a tremendous strain on animal shelters and rescues – including the Aiken County Animal Shelter.

What to do if you find kittens
With so many kittens being born during this period, you might spot them in your yard or while taking a walk in your neighborhood. But what do you do if this happens? It depends on a number of factors – but before you do anything, determine if the kittens’ mother is around. Kittens do best when they are with their mother, who instinctively knows how to help her offspring grow up to be strong and healthy. The mother’s milk also is crucial to providing the kittens powerful nutrients for their immune systems.

Kitten season takes place from late May to Nov.

Depending on their age and condition, here are your three choices if you find kittens:

1. Leave the kittens be. If the kittens are underage (under 2 pounds or younger than eight weeks old) and mom is still around and taking care of them, leave the kittens where they are until they are weaned. To help the mama cat, you can provide shelter and put out food nearby.

2. Take the kittens into your home. If the kittens’ mom is not around, wait at least two hours to see if she comes back. If she doesn’t return, foster the kittens or find someone who is willing to foster, until they are at least two pounds. This is done through bottle-feeding the kittens until they are ready to eat on their own.

FOTAS Volunteer Mindy Hand holds foster kitten, Dewey, who was adopted last week.

FOTAS provides “kitten kits” containing supplies you need to take care of the kittens until they are old enough to come to the shelter or go into foster care. If you’re unsure of the kittens’ age or care needs, you can bring them to the shelter for assessment and we can help you decide on a plan for adoption or direct you to other options, such as our TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return), which is free to Aiken County residents, or the spay/neuter voucher program.. You can also call the shelter for counsel.

FOTAS provides citizens with kitten kits — complete with food, litter, toys and other resources to help care for them.

3. Bring the kittens to shelter for spay/neutering. If the kittens are at least four pounds, they can be brought to the shelter in a humane cat trap (you can sign one out from the shelter) to be fixed through our Community Cats TNR program. After they are sterilized, you just return them to their outdoor home. This effectively works to reduce the cat population and prevents more cats from entering the area.

Fosters are always needed
Because citizens are sometimes unable to bottle feed and socialize the kittens they find, we have a small team of FOTAS fosters who take in babies and give them the care they require. These amazing volunteers save many feline lives each year. You can help save lives by volunteering to foster, too. To volunteer, go to the FOTAS website (fotasaiken.org) or call the shelter at (803) 642-1537.

Their lives are in our hands.


— By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director

2019, Cats, community cats, FOTAS, kittens, Spay/Neuter, TNR Program

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

Posted on by Bob Gordon
26
Mar

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 see the flow of kittens slow down until at least November.”

But what do you do if you discover a litter of kittens or a single kitten seemingly abandoned by their mother? How do you best help their chances of survival?

A flyer to remind people that mama cats “know best”.

Well, like all babies, kittens do best when they’re with their mother. Moms instinctively know how to help their offspring grow up to be strong and healthy. Mother’s milk is also vital in providing the kittens powerful nutrients for their immune system.

If the kittens are underage (under 2 pounds or younger than eight weeks old), see if mom is around. If she is gone, wait two to four hours to see if she comes back. She could just be out getting food for her and her kittens.

If mom is there, leave the kittens where they are until they are two pounds or eight weeks old. To help the mom, you can provide shelter and put out food nearby (but not right next to the kittens because you don’t want to attract other cats or potential predators).

If mom is gone and has not returned, you should foster the kittens or find someone who is willing to foster, until they are at least two pounds. This is done through bottle-feeding the kittens until they are ready to eat on their own.

The mother cat gives her kittens their best chance for survival.

“If you feel the kittens are in danger and in need of rescue, you should be prepared to take care of them for a minimum of two weeks for the around-the-clock care they need,” Clark-Kulis said. “Don’t hesitate to contact the shelter for resources and supplies you might need. We can also answer any questions you may have and provide counsel.”

If the kittens you find are weaned or you’re unsure of their age or care needs, you can bring them to the shelter for assessment and we can help you decide on a plan for adoption or direct you to other options, such as our TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) or spay/neuter voucher program.

The kittens must be at least four pounds and be in a humane cat trap (you can sign one out from the shelter) if you bring them to the Aiken County Animal Shelter for our Community Cats free TNR program. After they are sterilized, you just return them to their outdoor home. This effectively works to reduce the cat population and prevents more cats from entering the area.

The annual flood of orphaned kittens is almost upon us. But you can help save lives by volunteering to foster orphaned, infant felines, supporting and taking advantage of our TNR program and spreading the word about how to best help kittens survive.

The Aiken County Animal Shelter is located at 333 Wire Road in Aiken. If you can help, please stop by or call the Shelter at (803) 642-1537 and speak to a staff member or volunteer for more information and assistance.

Their lives are in our hands.

2018, Adoption, Cats, Chained dogs, community cats, County animal laws, County tethering ordinance, Dogs, Donate, donations, Foster, FOTAS, Fundraisers, Heartworms, News, PetSmart cats, Pibbles, Spay/Neuter, Stray hold requirements, surrendered pets, TNR Program, Volunteer, Volunteers

The Christmas Spirit of Gratitude and Charity

Posted on by Bob Gordon
24
Dec

The Christmas season is upon us. It’s a time of festivity, bright lights, family, goodwill, and faith. It’s also a time to count our blessings. As we at FOTAS look back over the past nine years, it’s also a time to reflect upon our profound gratitude for our friends and supporters in the Aiken community.

FOTAS Volunteer John Berk with Cleo, who was adopted to a good home this year.

We’ve come a long way together. With your help, we successfully lobbied the County Council to build a new shelter and partnered with the county to raise money to fund the architectural design and construction-ready plans.

Once the new shelter opened in early 2014, we recruited and trained an army of volunteers to work at the shelter, performing the equivalent of eight to 10 full-time jobs. We funded training programs for county personnel. We developed and funded exciting new programs with the county to increase adoption rates. We created a network of transfer partners in the northeast that take animals we can’t adopt locally, along with a system of foster care for dogs and cats who have been accepted for transfer or have special needs. We also supplement adoption fees for military personnel and veterans.

LUCY gets some lovin’ from young FOTAS volunteers.

We provided fencing to create exercise yards, bought a new van to move animals locally to outside adoption events, and installed a storage shed. We pay for toys, blankets, treats, flea and tick meds, cat condos, a doggie treadmill to rehabilitate and socialize dogs, and humane runners for folks who need to take their dogs off of chains.

We funded the construction of an isolation pod to separate shelter animals with temporary infectious diseases, as well as a host of necessary medical equipment and supplies. Through this assistance, we’ve made it possible for sick and injured animals to have a second chance. A total of 450 heartworm positive dogs have been saved through our funding. We also pay for outside veterinarian services when necessary.

FOTAS PetSmart Volunteer Twylia with feline Mabel.

Our funding has made it possible to attack overpopulation of pets at the source. Last year, the county and FOTAS paid for the spay/neuter of over 1,300 citizen-owned pets and 1,120 community feral/cats.

Has all this effort made a difference? You bet it has. In 2009, the old county shelter often took in more than 6,000 animals a year; only 5% made it out alive. This year, the shelter will have taken in 4,200 animals, and 90% were saved. Hands down, FOTAS and the county save more animals than any other rescue agencies in the country.

It couldn’t have happened without a lot of hard work, dedication, and support from you, the Aiken community.

Adopted dog HILDE in her forever home December 2018.

We and Aiken’s homeless animals are blessed to have your support.

But there is still so much to do. In the last two months, a whopping 1,000 animals were surrendered to the shelter. Please consider an end-of-the-year donation to FOTAS, either by mail to FOTAS, PO Box 2207, Aiken SC 29802 or online at FOTASAiken.org.

By the way, since FOTAS was recognized by South Carolina as one of the 10 most efficient and effective charity “Angels” in the state, you can be certain that your hard-earned dollars are spent on our mission.

Thank you and God bless your family this Christmas season.

Their lives are in our hands.

 

— By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice-President

 

By the Numbers
Since October 1, the County Animal Shelter has taken in well over 1,000 strays and surrendered pets. Please spay/neuter your dogs and cats.
 
Pets of the Week
ANGIE: Retriever mix, female, 3 years old, brindle and white, 50 pounds – $35

 

BEE BEE: Domestic Shorthair cat, female, 1-1/2 years old, black and white, 6.5 pounds – $10
2018, Cats, community cats, FOTAS, News, Spay/Neuter, TNR Program

The County Shelter’s Community Cat Program Works!

Posted on by Bob Gordon
03
Dec
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 animal shelters like the county shelter. Here’s how it works: citizens trap a feral cat living in their neighborhood (FOTAS provides the traps, if necessary) and bring the cat to the shelter or to a veterinarian designated by the shelter. The cat is neutered and vaccinated at no cost to the citizen, who later returns the cat to the
Vet Assistant Lyn Irilli prepares a TNR cat for surgery.
neighborhood. Thus, with help from the local community, the overpopulation of feral cats is reduced. It’s a win-win situation. Why does it work? Because cat colonies that have been sterilized and cannot reproduce do not grow, and since outdoor cats do not live more than two to three years, the cat colonies eventually disappear. The majority of cats received at the county shelter are outdoor cats, so the TNR program reduces the shelter’s intake of cats and reduces the feline euthanasia rate.
Raymond Hastings takes care of a community cat that has just been spayed at the County Shelter.
In 2016, the year in which the county’s TNR program was approved, the shelter had to euthanize 75% of the cats. One year later, in 2017, the shelter’s euthanasia rate for cats had dropped by two-thirds to 21%. And so far in the first nine months of this year, only 6% of the cats at the shelter had to be euthanized. The county’s TNR program is working! Thousands of cats have been saved in fewer than three years; FOTAS works with the shelter to provide free TNR services to Aiken County residents. In addition, FOTAS has purchased scores of traps to lend to citizens who wish to trap and neuter their community cats and return them to their original colonies. There are so many people who have contributed to the success of the TNR program: • The Aiken County Council and Administration for their continued support for the County’s TNR program. • The shelter staff, Dr. Lisa Levy, and Dr. Mike Wells who work so diligently in-house to alter, vaccinate and ear-tip the thousands of community cats received at the shelter (over 1,100 cats in 2017 alone were saved instead of euthanized). • Our veterinarian partners—Veterinary Services, Aiken Animal Hospital, Aiken Veterinary Clinic, Silver Bluff Animal Hospital—who discount their services to support the TNR program. • Aiken County Animal Control officers who respond to citizen requests for assistance with the feral cats in their neighborhood. • FOTAS volunteers Paula Neuroth and Carl Miller who coordinate and assist in facilitating the TNR program. • Our donors who make it possible for FOTAS to supplement the county’s program and provide additional funding for community TNR cats surgeries. • And of course, our community who cares enough to support this humane and highly effective program. There is still so much to do. The shelter is currently receiving hundreds of homeless kittens. But working together, we can wipe out the county’s feral cat overpopulation and unnecessary euthanasia of cats. For more information, please call the shelter 803-642 1537. Their lives are in our hands.

— By Jennifer Miller, President of FOTAS

   

By the Numbers From Nov. 1 to Nov. 28, the County Shelter received 344 strays and surrendered pets.

 

Pets of the Week

PLUTO Retriever mix, male, 3 years old, gray & white, 77 pounds – $35

 

CRYSTAL Domestic Shorthair Siamese mix, female, 2 months old, white, 2 pounds – $10

2018, Cats, community cats, FOTAS, News, Spay/Neuter, TNR Program, Uncategorized

Free TNR Program Saved Community Cats and Made Life Better

Posted on by Angel Hartline
20
May
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 deaths. We reached out to FOTAS for help and they informed us of the County’s Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program.  It’s a free program supplemented by FOTAS that benefits homeless felines and the community. You can trap feral or community cats, get them fixed and their ear tipped (the universal sign of a sterilized cat), and then return them to their outdoor home. We borrowed four humane traps from FOTAS and friends, then got a purchase order number to start the TNR program with the veterinarians on FOTAS’s list.
The TNR program allows community cats to remain outside but keeps their population down.
The TNR program allows community cats to remain outside but reduces their population via spay/neutering.
Initially we took four to eight cats in to get spay/neutered each week by appointments with veterinarians and the Aiken County Animal Shelter, where two are allowed with no appointment. The goal was to get this done prior to spring mating time. We would trap on Monday and Wednesday from 3 p.m. to dusk (so we didn’t trap night wildlife), using several teaspoons of canned food in the trap. We checked the traps every 15 minutes because the trapped cats are terrified until the trap is covered with a beach towel. We then moved the trapped cats to an enclosed building for the night.  If two were caught, they would go to the veterinarian appointment in the morning; and if there were more, they would go to the Aiken County Animal Shelter between 8-9 a.m. The vets did early surgery with same day return while the County had pick-up the next morning. The County Shelter offers their TNR spay/neutering on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Connie Jeffcoat of Wagener picks up two community cats she had spayed at the County Animal Shelter.
Connie Jeffcoat of Wagener picks up two community cats she had spayed at the County Animal Shelter.
We captured most of the cats in 30 days, but then we had to get more creative to trap the smarter cats. We photographed them for easy identification and watched their afternoon habits for better trap placement. We also upgraded the food to sardines (heated slightly) and camouflaged the traps. It worked, and now that all the cats are fixed, we can relax and just enjoy watching the barn and deck colonies. With no more additions to the group, there’s no fighting, yowling and spraying. We are so happy!  Both colonies guard their territory, so no new cats are moving in and that means no kittens to take to the shelter. Thank you to FOTAS and congratulations for getting the State Angel Award for non-profit organizations. Thanks also to all the volunteers, donors, the Aiken County Animal Shelter and Veterinary Services. Everyone we met during this adventure was very kind and helpful. Whether you are feeding one community cat or many more, it is important to stop the population problem. Please help FOTAS meet their goal: no more homeless animals. Working together, we can do this! If you live in Aiken County and want to participate in the TNR program, please call the County Shelter, (803) 642-1537.

— By Lynn Carty

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By the Numbers

May 1-16: The County Shelter received more than 300 stray animals and owner-surrendered pets in just two weeks.

 

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Pets of the Week

mia pet of the week (2)

MIA: Mixed breed, female, 2 years old, black & white, 36 pounds – $35

AMANDA PET OF THE WEEK

AMANDA: Domestic Shorthair, female, 1 year old, tan & black Tabby, 7.5 pounds – $10