WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. — Spring will be here soon, and with it comes another season — kitten season.
Animal rescue groups like A Purr-Fect Fit in Williamsville are preparing for an influx of cats in the next couple of months.
Rescue manager Chris Wiehe says they don't have many animals at their facility right now because they're trying to save room for new litters. Currently, they have kittens and pregnant moms in foster care.
Wiehe says the pandemic contributed to the cat population because those who worked to trap, spay/neuter, vaccinate, and release feral cats ran into problems.
"When COVID hit, they couldn't get spay and neuter appointments. They had to stop. That made the feral colonies just explode. Then everyone came and adopted, and then everyone decided when they went back to work or whatever that it wasn't for them and then dumped their animals," said Wiehe.
The more cats A Purr-Fect Fit accepts, the greater the cost to the non-profit.
"And we do pay for the vet just like everybody else does, only it's 60, 70 or 80 times more, depending on how many we have in our care at the time. It would be great if we just gave them a rabies and distemper shot, but we also have to do a spay. A lot of them come in very sick," said Wiehe.
A Purr-Fect Fit's largest annual fundraiser — their Wine and Whiskers Gala — is coming up on Saturday, March 4 at Salvatore's. Tickets are $75 each. The deadline to purchase is Saturday, February 25. You can buy them online or at the rescue, located at 2231 Wehrle Drive in Williamsville.