Volunteers Needed For ‘Feral to Friendly’ Program In CNY

The Susquehanna Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SQSPCA) is looking for volunteers to help tame feral and unsocialized kittens.

It's kitten season, and cats of all ages, even newborns, are being surrendered to animal shelters at alarming rates every day. Most of these kittens are untamed and must be handled to give them a better chance of being adopted. SQSPCA Executive Director Stacie Haynes says:

“The socialization period for cats occurs between 2 and 7 weeks of age but can extend up to 14 weeks...The majority of kittens brought to us have had very limited exposure to humans, so our animal care staff works with them as much as possible in between cleaning, intakes, dog and cat meets, and adoptions,”

The new 'Feral to Friendly' program allows volunteers to gently play and pet the kittens for 15-40 minutes a day. This type of socialization will help them become comfortable around people, and in turn, will increase their chances of a successful adoption. Kittens that are undomesticated and remain feral will likely become working cats in a barn, garage, or workshop.

"Folks can volunteer for the Feral to Friendly program in two ways," Haynes said. "They can call and sign up to come to the shelter to visit and play with kittens for an hour at a time, based on availability. People with experience handling feral cats and kittens can foster for us."

Those interested in learning more about the SQSPCA's Feral to Friendly program can call 607-547-8111, extension 102, to learn more and schedule a time to help out.