Cat crowding at the Humane Society of Yuma – how to help

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The Humane Society of Yuma (HSOY) shelter has hit max capacity and is having a cat crowding crisis.

This month is kitten season.

HSOY said they have been receiving several kittens a day but nowhere to put them.

The non-profit organization sees dozens of cats dropped off every day and they’re asking locals for help.

“We get probably over 400 kittens during the months of April and May. In June and July, we start to slow down a little bit, but we still get lots and lots of kittens" said Annette Lagunas, Executive Director of the Humane Society of Yuma.

The Humane Society saw over 7,000 animals entering the shelter last year, nearly 3,000 were cats.

"We take this time of year day by day because in an hour we could get another 20- another 40 coming in our door. We just never know," shared Lagunas.

HSOY is asking locals to help by keeping them where they are with their mommas unless they are in dire need or in terrible circumstances.

“Within two hours this past Tuesday, we got over 20 within a two hour period," explained Lagunas. "So what we’re asking the community to do is to please leave kittens where they’re at. Nobody knows how to take care of a kitten better than its own mama."

The shelter said families can also help by fostering kittens, volunteering at the shelter, and donating supplies to their baby kitten drive.

Right now, they say their biggest needs are KMR kitten milk replacer, canned "Fancy Feast" turkey kitten food, kitten bottles, and foster parents.

Families can adopt at the PetSmart adoption center and the main shelter. They can also drop off food at the shelter.