PTertacks
with Jan Jaeger

TOO MANY CATS The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins, an early Dr. Seuss tale of an endearing but unfortunate young man who keeps producing hats on his head when he should be bareheaded in the presence of his king, was a favorite story from my childhood. The hapless Bartholomew's hats appeared faster than he could remove them.

This proliferation of hats seems analogous to what is happening at our Nantucket MSPCAAnimal Care and Adoption Center, only we're talking cats, not hats.

Right now there are roughly 60 cats housed throughout the physical plant on Crooked Lane. There are cats in the cat room, in spare hospital space, in Stephanie's office and in another room-turned-nursery; numerous kittens romp, sleep and play.

Sixty cats are a lot of cats. "When I first came here in 2003, there were two cats in the Shelter and I knew all the cats that came in by name," comments Stephanie Henke, Project Coordinator for the Center. "They all stayed in the cat room off the MSPCA main lobby, and prospective adopters visited there. With the numbers we have now, it's difficult to keep up, and those housed in the cat room are just the tip of the iceberg."

One fact that disturbs Stephanie is the significant percentage of cats brought in as strays, meaning cats that were previously owned. "It is pretty obvious when a cat has been a pet," she explains. "A cat accustomed to people will purr and respond to touching. Often a cat will appear to have been well cared for, or will come in wearing a flea collar but no other ID. A feral cat, living wild and untamed, will react quite differently to people."

She explains that Shelter personnel always check any cat brought in for evidence of spaying or neutering, another indication of ownership, and will scan for microchip information. Fortunately, Adoption Center records show that about half of the strays brought in were returned to their owners and most of the remainder have been adopted out.

Still, the fact that owners are not being reunited with their pets is very concerning. Stephanie offers several reasons why she thinks this might happen. "People just don't know they should call us when their cat is missing, or they don't realize the Shelter exists, or they think they will be charged a fee to reclaim their pet," Stephanie says. Actually, there are no fees charged, either to bring in a stray cat, or to reclaim a lost cat. Of course, donations are gratefully accepted, but there are no fees.

First, if you are missing your cat, you should call the number for the Animal Care and Adoption Center, 508-825-2287, to report the missing pet. Stephanie advises calling their direct line rather than the MSPCA main number and explains why. "There are four people working the front desk and they will try to be helpful by passing the word along, but MSPCA staff is not really involved in the Adoption Center activities. Call us instead."

Some preventative measures will help if your cat does become lost or separated from you. Be sure to keep a collar on your kitty, even if it is an indoor cat, with a tag listing current phone numbers. Most cat collars are designed to breakaway if tangled or snagged but several different styles offer a choice for one that may stay on better if your cat is a master at losing its collar. Getting a microchip implanted is a simple, inexpensive procedure and the personal information is accessible from a national database. An updated photograph of your pet can help with identification. And, as above, make the call.

While cat overpopulation is a huge problem throughout our shelter systems, Stephanie emphasizes that in our Nantucket Adoption Center, euthanasia has never been an option for dealing with space constraints. They do adhere to a 10-day rule, however, which means that when a cat is turned in to the Shelter with no identification and there is no lost and found report on file, then that cat will be held 10 days before adoption proceedings can begin. Pet photos are included every week in the "Pet of the Week" display ad in the Inquirer and Mirror and this venue has reunited several lost pets with their owners.

Geronimo's also hosts adoptable cats and kittens. Right now we have two wonderful siblings, Devon of the pink nose and Marian, his sister, waiting for a permanent home. These fun-loving tawny Nantucket tabbies both have attractive white markings.

If you are interested in adopting a cat or kitten, Stephanie suggests making an appointment during the Adoption Center hours of 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday so you can have the full attention of Shelter staff during your visit.

Like Bartholomew's prolific hats, our cat population problems will run amok if we don't take the right actions. Spay and neuter your cats, retrieve your missing pets and consider adding an adorable kitten or cat to your household. With 60 cats needing homes, now would be a good time to become a

part of the solution. I

Jan Jaeger is owner of Geronimo's, Ltd., Nantucket's pet supply and gift shop, and is a member of DWAA and CWA (Dog and Cat Writer's Associations of America). Her pets at home are Junior, a Chesapeake Bay Retriever and three cats. At the shop are the cats, Messrs. Fish and Chips, Flower bunny, Willie guinea pig and two budgies. Send e-mail to jan@geronimos.com.