By Raymond Neupert/South Metro Observer
WAUSAU, Wis. – The Humane Society of Marathon County wants to help you adopt a cat in the month of February.
The shelter is currently waiving the fees on all adoptions of cats that are one year old or older. Director Lisa Leitermann says they have a lot of cats up for adoption and the need to make some room.
“At the beginning of February we had 117 adoptable cats,” Leitermann said. “Knowing each day we can get more, we wanted to make sure we have plenty of space when Kitten Season starts in spring.”
‘Kitten Season’ is a somewhat satirical reference to the large influx of kittens that are brought into the humane society once the thaw starts in spring.
Leitermann says they’re working to decrease the length of stay for cats in the shelter as well. The longer they stay in the shelter, the more stress they can develop and the more exposure they have to diseases and infections.
One advantage to getting an older cat is knowing their personality and temperament coming into the adoption, according to Leitermann.
“People come in and they want a lot of history, they want to more about that cat, and when you have an adult that’s surrendered and has their routines it can be easier working them with them.”
People looking to adopt a older cat will still have to go through the standard adoption process, and Leitermann says they’re working to find the best homes possible for their cats.
“Our process does take a minimum of 24 to 48 hours to complete, so it does take some time,” Leitermann noted.
“Because we’ve waived the adoption fee, we’ve had a number of people who have paid it forward. So even though they’re not paying the fee, they’re helping to sponsor the next pet that gets adopted,” says Leitermann.
To learn more about the shelter and see pets that are available for adoption, log on to http://catsndogs.org.
