Keeping an eye out for felines

ALPENA, Mich– We’re on the tail end of kitten season, and the Huron Humane Society has some tips in case you find a stray kitten or cat.

The Humane Society has taken in about 30 kittens over the past month alone. According to officer manager Kaitlyn Tree, kitten season typically lasts from late spring into early fall. It sometimes comes in waves, depending on the habits of local strays during mating season.

If you find a mother with her litter, Tree said to call the Humane Society or message them on Facebook for assistance. With feral cats or wary strays, you should show them you’re not a threat so you can catch them and bring them to the shelter.

“They will do their best to protect the babies.” Tree said. “So, if the mom wants to come to you, that’s awesome. But I would definitely, if it’s feral, I would definitely keep your space, and if you need to, give it little bits of hard food if you have the allowable time and money to do that.”

If you manage to catch the cat and her litter after hours, the Humane Society is willing to meet you at the shelter to make sure that these cats get the care they need right away. Just this week, a cat named Mimosa was brought and in and gave birth to a litter of four beautiful babies.

If left unattended, cat populations can easily swell and negatively affect local ecosystems. As such, it is important to not only give strays like Mimosa and her family homes, but also to make sure that your pets are spayed or neutered.

The Huron Humane Society has taken in over 200 kittens since mid–April.