Got a backyard or barn? Well you need a buddy!!!

   It's that time of year again where the cat population starts growing and the shelter population explodes!  The adorable adoptable kitties wait patiently for new loving homes, but what happens to the other cats?  What happens to the unsocialized and feral cats?  Sadly the answer in most shelters is that they are euthanized.  It is a terrible reality and one that I hope we can change.  With organizations like Alley Cat Allies putting the plight of the feral cat up in the forefront I hope we can save more lives.  The importance of spaying/neutering your cat cannot be said too many times!!!  Yes kittens are cute, but they should not be being born outside at the alarming rate they are.  Think of this.....  One female cat having 12 kittens a year living 12 years.  Yes, that is 144 cats!  That is just ONE cat, so now multiply that out to all of the stray and feral cats in our community.  That will be one seriously big number and too many cats that will end up in shelters with no where to go. So now onto the good news.  YOU can help!  There are local shelters and rescues that work tirelessly to help save the lives of these cats.  Through programs that TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) and place cats on farms lives are being saved all the time, but we need help!
   I volunteer at the Monmouth County SPCA and help with the Backyard Buddy Program.  Every year we save dozens of lives by finding cats places to live in backyards, nurseries, horse farms, organic farms and more!  I just took a fabulous cat named Alfalfa from the MCSPCA to Great Road Farm in Skillman NJ and he is living the life!!!!  It's a gorgeous organic vegetable farm that is the home of 2 cats that would otherwise have had no options.  Farmer Steve and the staff at the farm provide food, water and shelter, and the cats live a pretty fabulous life!  Now with that said you do not need a farm.  You could love cats, but just not inside, and have the perfect backyard as well.  
   So I would encourage you to read more about the program at the MCSPCA or talk to someone at your favorite rescue and see if you can help save a life!  If you can't help by taking a cat you can certainly jump on Facebook or Twitter and help share the word.  The reward of saving a life is priceless.....

http://monmouthcountyspca.org/backyard-buddy/
http://allfurlove.org