Dozens of cats rescued from severe hoarding situation in Ramara Township home

A group of 16 cats, including several pregnant females, were recently rescued from an overpopulated household after a resident reached out to Furry Friends Animal Shelter in Barrie, Ont., for help. (Supplied)

What began with just a few cats had quickly grown into a chaotic and unsustainable hoarding situation in one Ramara home.

A group of 16 cats, including several pregnant females, was recently rescued from an overpopulated household after an overwhelmed resident reached out to the local shelter.

“We took in 16 cats, including five adult males, two male kittens and nine females potentially pregnant,” said Susan Bartley, president of Furry Friends Animal Shelter to CTV News.

The situation had quickly escalated as the unfixed cats were left unsupervised and continued to reproduce.

“Most of them had health issues, the little ladies were all on pregnancy watch, ear mites, bad teeth, injuries. It’s been quite the challenge,” Bartley continued.

The Ramara resident, who had been overseeing the household, recognized the growing crisis and contacted Furry Friends Animal Shelter. Furry Friend is a non-profit, no-kill organization dedicated to providing homes and love to abandoned, lost or rescued animals in the Barrie area.

“They were kind enough to bring these cats to us, we lent them a giant stack of carriers and they brought them back full of kitties. It is not uncommon for our volunteers to go and collect animals from homes though, especially if the owners are unwell or unable to drive,” said medical coordinator Logan Meadows of Furry Friends Animal Shelter.

These 16 cats were part of a cycle of overpopulation and neglect. With limited resources and care, their physical condition had begun to deteriorate.

“It’s really difficult, and really heart breaking for both the animals and the people involved. There’s frequently a mental health component to these situations, the people involved usually have no support networks to rely on and get completely overwhelmed physically and financially, Meadows continued.

By the time help arrives, it’s not unusual to find homes with multiple generations of cats all born within months of each other.

“People go almost blind to what’s happening around them, and by the time somebody steps in you’re a dozen litters of kittens down the line with more on the way. This is why we always talk about how important it is to spay and neuter your animals as soon as possible, it’s much more affordable to do it when you only have one or two healthy cats instead of 20 with a multitude of medical concerns,” said Meadows.

As with many rescues, the costs are significant. While the well-being of the animals always comes first, organizations rely heavily on volunteers and fundraising to meet the overwhelming demands.

The entire kitty family needed to be treated for an intestinal parasite called ‘giardia.’ This is something that causes rampant diarrhea and dehydration, which can be super dangerous for the pregnant kitties and kittens of this group.

Now, after weeks of receiving some love at the local shelter these cats are slowly unwinding and realizing that they don’t need to live in survival mode anymore.

“Unfortunately, the work is far from over with these kitties. Some need dental surgery, some need ongoing treatment for their parasites, and there are litters of kittens on the way shortly,” the volunteers of Furry Friends continued.

Whether it’s the change of environment, much needed medical care, tons of good food or a little of everything combined, bit by bit these precious kitties are learning that their hardships are behind them.

To help this fuzzy family complete their journey to good health, you can donate to the organization by sending an email to [e-mail].