Hannah Shaw loves kittens.
She’s written numerous books – about kittens – and fosters the fuzzy little furballs whenever she can.
So it’s not surprising that the online influencer calls herself “The Kitten Lady,” and helps to educate the kitten-loving public at https://www.kittenlady.org/
Shaw spoke by telephone from her home in California Tuesday with WIZS co-host Bill Harris in observance of February as National Cat Health Month.
“Any time anything seems a little bit off with our pets, going to the vet is a great idea,” she said, noting that cats’ generally stoic nature may serve to mask a medical issue.
Plus, any cat owner will tell you they’re notorious for hiding when they don’t feel their best.
About 15 years ago, Shaw lived in the Triangle area and first became involved in animal rescue.
The author of the book “Tiny But Mighty” said she started helping shelters in the area with the kittens.
“Things have improved since that time,” she said, but she added that there’s still much work to be done to reduce the unwanted kitten population.
The most obvious way to reduce the unwanted pet population is for owners to spay or neuter their pets.
But, Shaw said, more than three-quarters of all kittens born are born on the streets – that is, nobody owns them.
A whopping 3 million cats find their way to shelters each year, which can put a strain on resources to provide. Many will be euthanized; others will be adopted or go to foster homes.
But during their time in the shelter, they need food, medical care and kitty litter.
Lots of kitty litter.
One litter manufacturer, Cat’s Pride, has a program called “Litter for Good” that donates cat litter to shelters. According to its website, https://catspride.com/litterforgood/, they’ve donated more than 37 million pounds of litter on their way to a goal of 50 million.
Shaw said she’s witnessed pallets of litter being delivered to shelters. “It frees up so much of the budget” for other needs,” she said.
Learn more about Shaw at her website
https://www.kittenlady.org/about.
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