Kitten bonanza: How the harsh Long Island winter hurt rescuers trying to control the cat population

This winter’s bitter cold and heavy snow cover could lead to a larger-than-usual kitten boom among feral cats this spring, according to Long Island animal rescuers.

The weather made it more difficult to trap free-roaming cats in January and February so they could be spayed or neutered as well as vaccinated, vital steps that help manage the population and keep diseases from spreading.

Linda Stuurman, president of Last Hope Animal Rescue in Wantagh, said during a recent low-cost spay neuter clinic the organization sponsored that she saw "a lot of cats in heat and a lot of cats that were pregnant."

And Dori Scofield, founder of Save-A-Pet Animal Rescue in Port Jefferson Station, said she is "expecting a pretty wild kitten season."

‘We’ve got bottle babies in foster already," she said, referring to very young kittens that need to be hand fed if their mothers aren't with them. "We’ve had our first couple of litters in February. That’s pretty early."

The challenge of trapping 

Stuurman said trapping feral cats is not an easy endeavor to begin with. The freezing temperatures offered even more challenges.

"The bait [usually cat food] that you're using for the trap to lure the cats freezes almost as soon as you put it down," she said. "Cats don’t always come out in the freezing cold. They hunker down. You don’t see them for days after a snow like that."

Wintertime spay and neutering is key to preventing more cats from giving birth in the spring. Kitten season is the time between March and October when the weather warms up and free-roaming cats give birth. During this time, rescuers receive scores of calls from Long Islanders about young kittens in their backyards and parks. 

A pair of cats can produce about two litters a year, according to the ASPCA. It's estimated that will result in 400,000 cats over seven years as each kitten goes on to reproduce.

Last Hope holds low-cost spay/neuter clinics, where people can sign up in advance and then bring their cats for surgery. The clinics are open to all cats, feral or friendly.

With the help of a large donation, the charge was just $20 per cat at a recent event. The next clinic is scheduled for April 16. 

Due to some lucky timing, Bideawee’s spay-neuter clinics were not impacted by the weather, according to Elyise Hallenbeck, director of community initiatives at the nonprofit.  

"Our clinics were scheduled right in between all of the winter storms," she said. The group’s Feral Cat Initiative includes resources and training for caregivers. Currently about 10,000 caregivers on Long Island and in New York City are part of the program.

Caring for community cats

A well-maintained cat colony means the caregivers have made sure the animals are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, have a good supply of food and proper shelter. After surgery, cats are evaluated to determine if they can be adopted or are better suited outside with a colony.

Property owners, however, don't always allow rescuers to trap, manage and feed cats living on their land — even if it means controlling the population.

"These cats have a small fan base to begin with," Scofield said. "Everybody has them but nobody wants them on their property and nobody wants to let anyone on their property to get them."

In some cases, homeowners will feed cats but not trap them so they can be spayed or neutered, leading to an influx of more cats in the area. Another problem comes from well-meaning people who take young kittens assuming mom is gone while she is still nearby. This leads to difficult, round-the-clock bottle feeding from volunteers.

"We want to keep nursing kittens with their mothers for as long as possible, because that gives them the best chance of survival," said Scofield.

Rescue groups can also help homeowners by lending them traps and connecting them with low-cost spay and neuter programs. Then can then be released into an area where a caregiver will provide food on a regular basis.

Hallenbeck said Bideawee has just finished its Kitten Season 101 class for people who want to help the cats in their communities or bottle-feed abandoned kittens. 

"In a few weeks, we’ll be doing a deep dive into a three-hour-long bottle feeding course," she said. ‘But it’s not just about bottle feeding. For example, if you see a kitten outside, more than 50% of the time they don’t need your help."