Reaching Kelowna on their interprovincial journey, intending to relocate their 21 cats to the Lower Mainland, an elderly couple realized some of the felines in their recreational vehicle were in distress.
On Oct. 21, concerned family members stepped in to support a couple in Kelowna when they realized that both the couple and the cats were in need of immediate care.
All 21 cats were surrendered to the animal centre; some remained in Kelowna, while others were transferred to the BC SPCA in Penticton.
Many of the cats were suffering from ear infections, and there was a growing concern about stomatitis, an extremely painful inflammatory condition that affects the mouth and makes eating difficult. All but one of the cats required dental care, and all were noted to have ear mites. One cat named Bunny has an abscessed bite wound near her tail that became difficult to treat because it kept getting soiled with encrusted feces. Another cat named Mouse was extremely fearful when he first arrived, but is doing much better.
That cat was named Mouse by the Kelowna staff, who have been very dedicated to helping him become more comfortable and confident.
“Unfortunately, this type of situation is something we’re seeing a lot right now, especially with the cost of living rising so quickly and so many other social concerns impacting our communities. When people are struggling, it often means their animals are struggling too,” said Matt Affleck, regional manager of animal cruelty investigations.
Some of the cats were living all over the home with the couple, some in the basement, and some in the garage, stated Afflect. It became clear once the family stepped in that some of the cats needed emergent veterinary care, which they received.
“We have no doubt the couple loved these cats and were doing their best, but the situation had gotten far too big for them to manage on their own,” explained Affleck.
Sadly, three of the cats were in critical distress and euthanized.
He explained that the BC SPCA doesn’t always see cases where the family is able to step in and offer support.
“We have no doubt the couple loved these cats and were doing their best, but the situation had gotten far too big for them to manage on their own. It’s an important reminder that we all should be checking in on friends and family as much as possible these days, including our four-legged and furry family members,” said Affleck.
Four of the surrendered cats are currently available for adoption on the BC SPCA’s website, and one has already been adopted. Others will become available once they have been cleared by the veterinarian.
“The cats are very friendly and love being in each other’s company,” said Shannon Paille, BC SPCA manager in Kelowna.
If you would like to help these cats and other animals in the BC SPCA’s care, please visit spca.bc.ca/donate-for-rescue.