The Animal Rescue League of Boston is seeing a steady influx of kittens born in the wild from communities throughout Massachusetts.The ARL has taken in 833 community cats in 2024, a 30 percent increase over 2023. Kitten-specific intake has also seen a 30 percent increase in 2024, as well. Since May 1, the Animal Rescue League has taken in nearly 600 community cats, 117 in September alone, the majority being kittens, and the organization is seeing no slow-down in the numbers of kittens being born in community cat colonies.”2023 was actually our busiest year for our community cat program, which launched back in 2017, and in 2024 we have already broken records,” said Mike DeFina, of the Animal Rescue League of Boston. ARL is the only large animal welfare organization in Massachusetts with a dedicated Community Cat Program that focuses on community cat colonies in several communities throughout the state. Once a colony is assessed, a trap-neuter-return plan is formulated, and ARL will provide these animals medical care, vaccinations, spay/neuter surgery and finding homes for the vast majority. For those cats that are truly feral, they are returned to the colony they were found, healthy and no longer able to reproduce, which the ARL said will help end the cycle of homelessness in the colony.With relatively mild winters becoming the norm in Massachusetts, there is no such thing as kitten season anymore, and caring for these animals is now a year-round effort.”Best estimates say that there’s approximately 750,000 community cats across the commonwealth of Massachusetts and 70,000 in Boston alone,” DeFina said. “It’s a tremendous undertaking, and given the influx we’re seeing now, we’re stretched pretty thin but you know the cats and kittens are going to keep coming in, and we’ll take them in.” Community cats are incredibly resourceful, and litters of kittens can be born anywhere a mom cat can find a dry, warm and safe environment. ARL advises anyone who notices a colony or kittens in and around their home or neighborhood to contact ARL’s Field Services Department for assistance at 617-426-9170 x563.For more information about adopting a pet through ARL, click here.
The Animal Rescue League of Boston is seeing a steady influx of kittens born in the wild from communities throughout Massachusetts.
The ARL has taken in 833 community cats in 2024, a 30 percent increase over 2023. Kitten-specific intake has also seen a 30 percent increase in 2024, as well.
Since May 1, the Animal Rescue League has taken in nearly 600 community cats, 117 in September alone, the majority being kittens, and the organization is seeing no slow-down in the numbers of kittens being born in community cat colonies.
“2023 was actually our busiest year for our community cat program, which launched back in 2017, and in 2024 we have already broken records,” said Mike DeFina, of the Animal Rescue League of Boston.
ARL is the only large animal welfare organization in Massachusetts with a dedicated Community Cat Program that focuses on community cat colonies in several communities throughout the state.
Once a colony is assessed, a trap-neuter-return plan is formulated, and ARL will provide these animals medical care, vaccinations, spay/neuter surgery and finding homes for the vast majority.
For those cats that are truly feral, they are returned to the colony they were found, healthy and no longer able to reproduce, which the ARL said will help end the cycle of homelessness in the colony.
With relatively mild winters becoming the norm in Massachusetts, there is no such thing as kitten season anymore, and caring for these animals is now a year-round effort.
“Best estimates say that there’s approximately 750,000 community cats across the commonwealth of Massachusetts and 70,000 in Boston alone,” DeFina said. “It’s a tremendous undertaking, and given the influx we’re seeing now, we’re stretched pretty thin but you know the cats and kittens are going to keep coming in, and we’ll take them in.”
Community cats are incredibly resourceful, and litters of kittens can be born anywhere a mom cat can find a dry, warm and safe environment.
ARL advises anyone who notices a colony or kittens in and around their home or neighborhood to contact ARL’s Field Services Department for assistance at 617-426-9170 x563.
For more information about adopting a pet through ARL, click here.
