WIMMERA'S Adoptable Pet Rescue has launched a monumental effort to save dozens of cats.
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The Stawell based animal rescue organisation was contacted by some people in Charlton who were overwhelmed with the cats they were trying to care for in late October.
"The family contacted us because their mother had taken in the stray cats," Adoptable Pet Rescue co-founder and president Lynley Hoiles said.
"We were informed that the mother had aged and she wasn't in good health and could no longer look after the cats that she had taken into her home, and also feed the others that continued to show up on their own."
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Ms Hoiles said the woman had desexed six cats but more kept showing up and there were more factors escalating the situation.
"We have since been told that the council doesn't have a rehoming program," she said.
"Their surrender fee is $200. This means that if people are in need especially during a pandemic where they have unfortunately lost their jobs or other reasons including family violence situations and are unsure how they will feed themselves let alone a pet they feel they have no other option than to dump an animal."
It was outside the norm for Adoptable Pet Rescue to venture so far to help out, but the volunteers still went to help the family and cat colony.
Just six volunteers coordinated, transported, fostered the rescue.
"We could see that the situation was desperate and no one else was able to help," Ms Hoiles said.
At this stage, the organisation has taken in almost 30 cats and kittens with more to come.
"If we leave any undesexed cats we will be back in the same place in a year," Ms Hoiles said.
"When you remove cats from a colony this means there is more food for the cats that are left and this will help them breed.
"The time that it takes to clean, feed and socialise (the cats) is an enormous and emotional commitment."
- Lynley Hoiles
"Cats have over two litters a year. If just one cat has six kittens then they have six kittens this adds up to a lot of kittens. It also can encourage other cats to move into the same territory.
"In Australia it is not legal to trap, neuter and release cats. This is unfortunate as it has been successful in other countries to reduce the amount of stray and unwanted cats.
"Trapping and putting to sleep cats doesn't address the problem."
Many of the cats and kittens were in poor health, a huge cost to the organisation.
"We flea treated and wormed the kittens on the first day. We have had them to the vet to check their health. They are on antibiotics and daily eye drops," Ms Hoiles said.
"Once they are old enough they will be desexed vaccinated and microchipped and rehomed.
"At the moment, they are being socialised by Barb Savage - our amazing foster carer.
"While we have them we spend money on food, litter, worm and flea treatments. For one cat this doesn't seem like it would be much but when you are doing this for multiple cats it adds up.
"Also the time that it takes to clean, feed and socialise is an enormous and emotional commitment."
The kittens haven't been handled which means they need a lot of socialisation however Ms Hoiles said the kittens will easily find loving homes but the older cats will struggle to be adopted.
Ms Hoiles said they need financial support, and volunteers to help socialise and clean and feed.
"Foster carers- for these cats they would need to be separated from their own animals due to the health issues they may have initially that we need to treat," she said.
"If people aren't able to do that I would encourage them to like and share our page on Facebook and Instagram. The more people we reach hopefully this will help us rehome the older cats.
"I would encourage people not to take 'free to good home' kittens and instead ask the owners to join our last litter program."
The cats and kittens are slowly learning to trust their carers and thrive; ready for a new home and a new life.
"One cat has been adopted so far," Ms Hoiles said.
"There are four more at Petstock Stawell if people would like to meet them. Even going down to Petstock Stawell and playing with the cats would be wonderful.
"If people want to organise a meet and greet they can contact us to organise this."
Ms Holies advised the following to help reduce chances of overpopulating cats:
- Desex you pets.
- Get your pet microchipped.
- Vaccinate
- Don't have 'just one litter' ten other people are doing the same thing making it 30-60 kittens.
- Don't support backyard breeders.
- Encourage people to use our last litter program.
- Flea and worm their animals
- Keep their cats in at night
- Practice responsible pet ownership.
This huge effort has put a strain on the rescue operation but it was still possible thanks to the volunteers.
"We are very thankful to the Stawell vets for all of their support," Ms Hoiles said.
"We need to say an enormous thank you to Barb Savage and her husband Jeff who has been the driving force for these cats and their safety."
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