Aloha Kitty TNR

03/30/2025

Some folks are uncomfortable with the RETURN part of T-N-R. Here's an explanation of why we do what we do to help others understand.

There are an estimated 50-80 million homeless cats in the United States alone. Kitten season has begun and millions more will be born this spring. 🌷😔

It's heartbreaking. 💔 But, here is the fact:
👉 There are not enough homes for all of the cats and kittens. 👈

Well-intentioned followers will ask, "Why don't you find that cat a home?". Because there is no space available. 😞 There are THOUSANDS of adoptable cats at all of our local shelters who could potentially die without a home. But people want us to keep pulling any and every cat from outdoors to find it a home. Current population numbers make this an impossible task. But there is hope through spay and neuter‼️

We are grateful our shelter accepts ✅ young kittens. They also do wonderful work for ✅ sick and injured community cats. We are blessed they provide space for those who need it most ❤️‍🩹 and we utilize this resource to the fullest! They have the largest foster program in the area, but even they have limits. Space is not unlimited. Fosters are not unlimited. Funds are not unlimited.

If you are an individual who comes across a homeless cat (or even a whole litter) and you are willing and able to take them in (socialize them, if needed), we encourage you and applaud you! We WANT you to do that, as long as you are able to get those kitties fixed. But if you are that person who was fortunate enough to be able to do that and CHOSE to do that, please don't pass judgment on those who are not able to do the same.

To us, a healthy fixed cat who is returning to a caretaker outdoors is not a failure. We are in rural Virginia 🌳, so when we return, it's not exactly "to the streets". We return to *caretakers* with farms, yards with sheds or porches, houses with trees, etc. They have a home in their familiar outdoor space. They have a caretaker to monitor for sickness and injuries and we are always there should those caretakers need us. ❤️

The RETURN part of T-N-R is necessary for combating the overpopulation problem. Right now, they can't all have an indoor home, but if more people understood the importance of spay and neuter, it could definitely be a goal for the future. 🎉

03/25/2025

We are about to hit prime kitten season! Just last week, at our mega spay day, we fixed 22 female cats—1️⃣5️⃣ of them were pregnant🤰. This is just the beginning. Every unaltered female means more litters, and more kittens needing help.

Here’s what you need to know if you find kittens:

🐾 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗸𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗴. Kittens have the best chance of survival with their mom. Unless they are sick, injured, or truly abandoned, they should stay with her until at least 4 weeks old.

👀 𝗔𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲. Mom may be out searching for food 🐟 and will return. 𝘛𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘶𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘮 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨.

✂️ 𝐅𝐢𝐱𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐨𝐦 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐞. 𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫—𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧. If Mom is feral, we can help with trapping or give you guidance on what to do. For Union County, NC TNR assistance: https://linktr.ee/carolinastreetcats?

📌 Bookmark this post! We’re linking resources for:
✅ Found Kittens?:
https://bit.ly/FoundKittensWhatToDo
✅ Trapping Tips:
https://bit.ly/CSCIncTrappingTips
✅Bottle Feeding Tips:
https://www.kittenlady.org/bottlefeeding
✅Low Cost Spay/Neuter Clinics:
https://bit.ly/Lowcostspayneuterclinics

Kitten season is overwhelming, but with the right knowledge, we can make a real impact. Fixing mom is the key to saving kittens. Let’s work together to break the cycle! 🐱

03/25/2025

These are some of the cats we care for at the top of the Maunawili Trail otherwise known as the Pali Hwy Hairpin turn lookout. We have been helping the caregiver TNR the cats. Last November 2024 their primary caregiver suddenly became unable to care for them and asked us to take over. We are up there every night after the chickens go to bed and continue to get them fixed, fed & watered. The cats are on a special diet mixed with supplements that keep them healthy.

Please refrain from feeding them although they act like they are starving. I promise, I will be there to feed them.

This serves multiple purposes. It enables us to keep track of which cats show up, which cats don’t so that we know how many we have, who is fixed, and who is not. If I am missing any, I do worry and look for them every single day. And if any of them are sick, it’s helpful that I can trap them and get them to a vet for medical attention. it also expedites the time it takes me to trap a cat to get it fixed.

Please don’t leave your leftovers and rubbish because I pick it up every single night. Leftover human food will cause them G.I. upset, and some ingredients and spices in our prepared food are toxic to them.

Please only stick to cat treats. Not all the cats eat on the wall so if you’re only leaving food there, know that I will still need to come and feed them all again along with all the other ones that haven’t gotten any food.

If you would like to volunteer one day a week to help feed them, we will provide food and the necessary supplies. If you would like to donate food, please contact us for a list.

We do, however, appreciate people stopping and admiring them because they are the most adorable things in the entire world who are there through no fault of their own.

03/25/2025

When you’re done folding all of your trap newspapers and trying to put them away and you have extra help

03/25/2025

Trap cleaning day for Aloha Kitty TNR! 28 cats trapped, spayed/neutered, chipped, vaxed, and returned. 4 days worth of work. Please donate to help us continue this important work across our beloved island!!

Oh… and if you’re wondering why all the traps aren’t PURPLE?!? You know who you are…please don’t make me chase you around the whole island to get them back!

03/24/2025