The number of cats at Paws and Whiskers Cat Shelter in South Toledo just grew by more than four dozen.
The all-feline shelter in South Toledo took in 50 cats from Monroe County Animal Control during the weekend. The animals were voluntarily surrendered to the county agency by an owner who was losing her home.
“She had a lot of cats with no place to go,” Animal Control Director Brett Raymo said.
The municipal shelter has limited space and would not have been able to care for so many felines.
“We were thankful [Paws and Whiskers] could help,” Mr. Raymo said. “That would have crippled us.”
The Toledo shelter also took in a few other cats from the Monroe shelter that had been waiting for adoption for a long time.
Jan Aguilar, board president at Paws and Whiskers, said that to her knowledge, it is the first time the rescue has taken in such a large number of cats. A record of more than 600 adoptions in 2018 helped create space, she said.
“That is quite a bit more than we’ve ever done in the past,” Ms. Aguilar said. “A lot of that is due to being more aggressive with adoption programs, using social media more, really spreading the word, and running more specials.”
Several new fosters also stepped up to help care for the incoming cats.
Alexandria Jones, shelter manager, said staff is still working to complete full intake exams on the newcomers, but the cats are in good condition overall. Many of them appear to be young, she said.
“Some aren’t so friendly and need some socialization, but they’re just scared,” she said. “They look really good. There’s a few eye conditions, but that can be caused by stress as well. They’re surprisingly in really good health.”
Some will need dental cleanings and most need to be spayed or neutered, but some should be available for adoption by next week.
To help clear even more space, the shelter is running an adoption promotion. All adult cats are only $10 through Sunday.
The shelter is open from noon to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays and noon to 5 p.m. Fridays through Sundays at 32 Hillwyck Dr. Available cats can be viewed at pawsandwhiskers.org.
The shelter is in need of monetary donations, canned cat food, and blankets and bedding. To donate items or inquire about fostering, email info@pawsandwhiskers.org or call 419-536-1914. Monetary donations can be made online at pawsandwhiskers.org, or by mailing a check to the shelter at 32 Hillwyck Dr., Toledo, 43615.
First Published January 15, 2019, 9:49 p.m.
