Wisconsin Human Society Overrun with Stray Cats

Everywhere you look, there seems to be a trail of chaos, the yarn of life tangled, and there are too many complicated things to focus on, but in every small snag, an unsung hero is waiting. 

Despite the public’s fondness for cats growing, the animal stray count seems to be constantly rising. Volunteers at Humane Societies, cat rescues, and neighbors alike are banding together to keep man’s unlikely friendship safe. 

“Every summer we have an upswing in animal intakes, and this summer has been especially dramatic,” said Angela Speed of the Wisconsin Humane Society.

“We have almost 1,500 animals in our care today, and about 1,100 of them are cats, which is 250 more than last summer.”

Cats are an invasive species in North America and are quick to breed in large litters, making it difficult to control the population, but this is just one facet of a deeper-rooted issue.

“There were even days where we would get more than 100 cats in a single day and had to get creative; we had cats in office spaces and board rooms until we found more space,” said Speed.

Indoor/outdoor cats, being a non-profit, and the increased amount of abandoned cats are all obstacles for these support systems to push through. 

Despite this, they run programs that assist pet owners, like low-cost spay/neuter clinics serving 40,000 families per year, pet food banks, and even pet training programs. 

“For many families, it’s tough to afford pet care now, and we strive to keep these pets in homes where they are already loved.”

Never one to back down from a challenge, the Wisconsin Humane Society has over 4,000 animals in foster care, has exponentially increased their social media presence, and for the first time purchased two billboards, in the hopes of reaching new eyes. 

People like Leonardo Rivas-Jimenez, a cat and environmental enthusiast, were ready to join that cause.

“In my area, there aren’t really cat breeders, so when my family decided to get a cat, we knew it was coming from a shelter, so we ended up going to three different pet shelters to see what spoke to us,” they said.

“There was this one scraggly little guy, who was born with an eye defect, and they had to remove his eye. When he met us, he just melted into my sister’s hand purring, and we took him back home with us that day.”

Rivas-Jimenez, a staunch animal lover themselves, has a very similar message to Angela Speed when it came to protecting future generations of cats. 

“Your cats need to be spayed and neutered, even if they’re inside cats; it’s always the safer, cleaner option.”

With places like the Wisconsin Humane Society, local shelters, and neighbors all doing their part, thousands of cats are receiving the care and love they deserve. 

The effects of stray cats don’t just hurt them but the environment as well. As an invasive species, they cause more damage than anticipated upon first glance. 

“It’s awful that people don’t know more about this and take precautions; they’re entirely invasive, they’re apex predators, and they will decimate the ecology that is built to sustain them,” said Rivas-Jimenez.

The easiest way to protect your cats is surprisingly simple and helps keep the ecology and environment of your neighborhood stable. 

Keep your cat inside! 

“It’s always safest to keep your cats and pets indoors, no matter what, and typically it’s best to leave stray cats outside alone since a vast majority of cats aren’t claimed,” Speed reiterated. 

While it can be tempting to let them roam free and explore outside, cats are curious creatures who love to cause a little chaos, which tends to be exactly what their population numbers do to local ecology and wildlife.

Reaching out to programs like Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission, volunteering at rescues, and contributing to cat colonies are all ways to do your part.

Rivas Jimenez believes in better options, saying, “Though it’s difficult and expensive, there are ways to maintain a cat colony; it just takes effort and a community to run efficiently.”