The month of June means many things to many people; but for the Pearl River County SPCA, it is Adopt a Cat Month.
Throughout June, the animal shelter is discounting the adoption fees for cats 4-months-old and older from the original cost of $80 to $10 and will offer more discounts to those who adopt more than one cat.
Every year in June the PRC SPCA goes through what the staff calls “kitten season,” where an abundance of kittens are brought to the animal shelter’s door. This situation creates a problem, since there is already a limited amount of space to hold these pets, Pearl River County SPCA Public Relations representative Maria Diamond said.
“These cats are so lovely and I wish I could keep them all here, but we simply do not have the room for that,” Diamond said.
The shelter has approximately 60 kittens currently in foster homes because they are too young to be housed in the shelter. Additionally, they are not old enough to be spayed and neutered, she said. However, once those kittens weigh two pounds, they are transferred to the animal shelter.
To open space for those kittens, the PRC SPCA is lowering the adoption fees to the lowest they will be all year, Diamond said.
She estimated the shelter has 25 cats eligible for the discount.
Diamond said she understands that the process of adopting a pet can be a bit daunting, but to make it fun and simple, she and the rest of the staff in the cat room know the personalities of every cat at the shelter. Once potential cat owners give a brief description of what type of personality they are looking for in a pet, Diamond said the staff can easily match them with their perfect furry friend.
“The summer is an ideal time to add a fur baby to anyone’s family,” she said. “Cats are not as high maintenance as dogs. You can leave the cat home alone for a day and have no worries.”
She added that cats serve a bigger purpose than just a friendly pet. Teaching children how to be responsible is a tough task for parents, but there are ways to teach kids this life lesson without making it obvious. Diamond said that process can be easier with the addition of a cat.
“A cat is the perfect pet to give to a child as their first pet. They are extremely playful, which children love, and are also super affectionate, which they also love,” Diamond said.
But what Diamond finds most appealing about cats, besides their endless display of love, is their cleanliness.
“I have no problem opening my bedroom door at night so my cats can sleep with me, but my dog can be a bit messy, which is why I don’t let him on the bed,” she said.
For more information about the cats, visit the website at prcspca.org for full descriptions and photos of each cat at the shelter or call the PRC SPCA at 601-798-8000.