OC Animal Care shelter overflows with cats, kittens as summer nears

Orange County Animal Care's Tustin shelter is facing an unusual surplus of cats and kittens this spring, with more than 100 animals from recent law enforcement investigation cases and more than 100 orphaned kittens now outnumbering the facility's dogs — a rare reversal at the county-run shelter, according to Voice of OC.

The influx is tied to the annual rise in outdoor cat births as temperatures climb — known as "kitten season" — and is straining a facility that does not accept healthy stray cats from the public, pushing OC Animal Care to revive special adoption events and seek more foster families across the county.

The Tustin shelter currently holds more than 100 cats transferred from multiple recent investigation cases, along with more than 100 orphaned kittens needing foster care or permanent homes, Voice of OC reported. The situation marks a rare point at which the facility's cat population exceeds its dog population.

Among the cats awaiting placement are Gemini, a 1-year-old tortoiseshell domestic shorthair (Pet ID: A1959342) who has been at the shelter about three weeks; Tweety, a 2-year-old domestic medium-hair tabby (Pet ID: A1955797) returned by a previous owner roughly one week ago; and Mei, a 2-year-old torbie (Pet ID: A1957473) who has been waiting more than a month. Two dogs are among those eligible for the current fee waiver: Chevy, a 3-year-old, 64-pound pit bull described as potty trained and good with children (Pet ID: A1956187), and Buttercup, a 6-year-old, 58-pound pit bull noted for walking well on a leash (Pet ID: A1960837).

To ease overcrowding, OC Animal Care is relaunching its weekly Sittin' With Kittens adoption event every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at its Tustin location, beginning May 24, according to Voice of OC. No appointment is required to attend.

The shelter will also participate in California's Adopt-A-Pet Day on June 6 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will cover all adoption fees that day, and the event will include food trucks and community resource booths.

Through the end of May, OC Animal Care is waiving adoption fees for all dogs weighing 25 pounds or more. A foster-to-adopt program is available for residents who wish to care for an animal at home before making a permanent commitment. The shelter is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for walk-in adoption visits.

OC Animal Care's Tustin shelter is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents interested in adopting or fostering can visit without an appointment. The Angelina Hicks report was published by the Voice of OC Collegiate News Service.