Despite the remarkable work of animal rescues, humane organizations, spay-and-neuter groups and cat-loving individuals and foundations across the country, cat overpopulation is still an issue. Tragically, euthanization of homeless cats is the number-one cause of death for these beautiful animals in the United States. This problem is greater in some areas than others – in Louisiana alone, for example, approximately 40,000 cats are put down in shelters each year.
While Louisiana has been dealing with animal overpopulation for decades, the coronavirus pandemic only increased the number of unwanted pets. Further compounding the issue, quarantine contingencies put shelters’ spay and neuter surgeries behind schedule, and the COVID-19 pandemic struck during the height of kitten season.
This week, American Humane’s renowned animal rescue team arrived in Louisiana to help. Using one of its giant 50-foot rescue vehicles, American Humane loaded the truck with 34 young cats from our good friends in southeast Louisiana – Big Sky Ranch/CATNIP Foundation and Purrs of Hope Rescue. These beautiful, healthy cats just had the unfortunate luck of being born in an area where there are far too many cats compared to the number of homes available.
American Humane drove the cats over 1,300 miles from Folsom, Louisiana to Longmont and Loveland, Colorado. Our friends at Longmont Humane Society and Larimer Humane Society generously took them in and are working to find them forever homes with a lifetime of happiness. This is a real-life case where one person‘s trash is another person‘s treasure.
In addition to the two groups of kittens that went to the shelters in Colorado, American Humane gave a ride to a very special cat named Slick. Slick was born a wildcat and was cared for over the last 14 years by his loving human, Katie. Katie moved recently from her home in Louisiana to New Mexico. She was able to capture and transport all the other feral cats in her care, except for Slick. She was heartbroken knowing that her old friend was alone with no one to care for him. One of her other cats had always been his constant companion, and she was grieving, as well.
Our Louisiana partners did not give up on Slick. They spent many days trying to capture him, and at last were successful just in time for him to catch a ride with us and be reunited with Katie. Even though she has never touched this cat in its entire life, she shares a bond with him that is deep and important. We are so happy we could bring Slick, and all of the other kitties, home where they belong.
