Elderly couple surrender 21 cats in Kelowna when they got too sick to travel

An out-of-province elderly couple wanted to relocate their 21 cats to the Lower Mainland, but when the cats got too sick to travel they were surrendered to the BC SPCA in Kelowna last month.

The couple had been struggling with their own health problems and their family members stepped in to transport all of the cats to the Lower Mainland in an RV, according to a press release from the BC SPCA.

The family set off on the journey with the cats in tow, but they realized the cats were in serious distress and had to surrender them to the BC SPCA at the Kelowna animal centre on Oct. 19.

“Unfortunately, this type of situation is something we’re seeing a lot right now, especially with the cost of living rising so quickly and so many other social concerns impacting our communities. When people are struggling, it often means their animals are struggling too,” BC SPCA regional manager of animal cruelty investigations Matt Affleck said in the release.

There were three cats in critical condition so the BC SPCA euthanized them. The rest of the cats were assessed and given the medical treatment they needed as soon as possible. Some of the cats stayed in Kelowna and some of them were sent to the BC SPCA in Penticton.

“The BC SPCA often sees situations like this escalate when beloved pets aren’t spayed or neutered, leading to accidental litters and turning manageable situations into ones where owners can no longer adequately care for them. In this case, there were cats living all over the home with the couple, some upstairs, some downstairs in the basement, some in the garage. Most of the cats were very social but it became clear quickly that some needed urgent veterinary care,” Affleck said.

BC SPCA Kelowna manager Shannon Paille said that almost all of the cats require dental care, they all have ear mites and many of them have ear infections. Paille is concerned that they might also have stomatitis which is a painful condition that makes it hard for the cats to eat.

Some of the cats had unique injuries and conditions.

“The cat we named Bunny had an abscessed bite wound near her tail, which was difficult to treat because it kept getting soiled and encrusted with feces,” Paille said in the release. “She received around the clock care at the veterinary clinic and I’m so happy to share that she is now healing wonderfully. Despite her painful condition, Bunny wants nothing but love. She is incredibly affectionate and friendly. The staff at the clinic have fallen in love with her.”

There are four cats that are currently available for adoption, and one that has already been adopted. Paille said the cats are friendly and love each other’s company.

“The cat we named Mouse was extremely fearful when he first arrived, but after less than a week he was thriving,” Paille said. “He still prefers to sit back and observe, but he will solicit attention and accept pets. The staff have been very dedicated to helping him become more comfortable and confident. Every milestone, every meow or nuzzle or belly rub, feels victorious. Recently, he reached out his paw to gently touch my hand after I stopped petting him.”

The BC SPCA said that Sharmini and Anil Wirasekara are matching donations up to $20,000 to help these cats.