The Strathmore Happy Cat Sanctuary is currently caring for more than 75 cats and kittens, and they desperately need your help to make sure all these cats can find a loving home to be cared for.

The Happy Cat Sanctuary has been doing important work in caring for cats, finding them homes, and also keeping the cat population under control. However, with the shortage of volunteers, foster homes and adoptions, volunteer at the Happy Cat Sanctuary Debbie Jensen explains that they haven't been able to keep all the cats they take in.

"We've been keeping the population down, at least we're trying. We have our TNR program (trap, neuter release). We trap the cats, we get them spayed, neutered, we make sure they have all their shots, but then we have to turn them loose again because we don't have places to keep them. But at least they aren't populating the town. We can only control so much and we can only take in so many cats and we're really desperate for some foster homes now."

While turning cats away is never fun, Jensen did add that in some situations this is normal. If they take in an adult feral cat that can't be trained to live in a house they would release it even under normal circumstances. However, since they don't have space they've had to turn away all cats, regardless of circumstances.

On top of all that, the cat sanctuary also helps cats in emergency situations.

"Because we are a sanctuary we do have to keep a couple pens open in case there's an emergency, because if a cat gets hit by a car in Strathmore, that's our responsibility to look after that cat."

The Happy Cat Sanctuary offers a lot of services that are important for cats and the community. If they don't get the support they need, it could seriously compromise their services. Jensen explains that they need all the help they can get.

"We're really desperate for volunteers to keep the center open, to help with the cats, and especially foster homes. we can't take anymore cats now because we just have way too many. There's an overpopulation of cats and kittens right now and there's nowhere for them to go."

If you're interested in helping, there are several volunteer positions like cleaners, or openers. An opener is someone who stays in the sanctuary to keep it open so that people can go in, see the cats, learn how to adopt and figure out the situation. Jensen says they really need volunteers, as it's been hard to get people since COVID.

"At the moment we have nobody for opening shifts. So it's open by appointment only. They phone me and I head down to meet them."

You could also support them through donations. While anything is appreciated, Jensen said kitty litter, canned food or monetary donations for vet bills would be incredibly helpful.

If you're interested in volunteering, donating, fostering, or adopting, you can check out their website here.

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