Why Expand the Shelter Cat Room?
Most of our cats are currently housed in small, steel cages during their shelter stay, allowing little room for play or exercise during their entire confinement.
The shelter’s one small “get acquainted” room also doubles as a play and exercise room for the cats. On busy days when potential adopters occupy this room, our shelter kitties have no place to go for even a little R&R.
What’s so Bad About Cages?
Cages aren’t necessarily bad, especially if they’re large enough to allow cats enough room to move around and perch on a shelf. And, in cases where a cat has a contagious disease, is on a special diet, or just can’t get along with other cats, a cage may be the best, and only, solution.
However, from research – and our own experience -we know that cats residing in small cages for prolonged periods are at risk of developing a host of problems, including aggressiveness and biting, becoming overly shy, or developing infections due to excessive stress. All these conditions lead to longer stays at the shelter and increased costs for their care.
A Pro-Humane Approach, but...
Our pro-humane policy ensures that every cat will remain at the shelter for as long as it takes to find them permanent, loving homes. Pretty extraordinary, right? We’re one of only a few shelters in the OC area with this generous policy. Because we provide sanctuary to all cats until we find them homes, those who are older, extremely shy, or have medical problems may spend as long as 6 months to a year at the shelter awaiting adoption – all that time in a small steel cage.
