It's "kitten season" on the Central Coast, and a local shelter is looking for people willing to add a cat to their family.
The rush to find homes for the cats comes as the waiting list of relinquished pets and new kittens is growing. The shelter's intake is at a standstill until they can make space for new kittens.
And the current requests are overwhelming.
"We have a long waiting list, in the double digits for sure," shelter manager Kellie Priebe said. "We just don't have enough space right now to take in any more."
Cats come to the shelter from across the county, and they range in age from kittens to seniors.
Priebe picked up a gentle black and white cat.
"This is Petey," she said. "He's nine years old. He is one of our cats we're looking for a foster for."
She described the cat as loving and affectionate. Petey was a rescue from Cambria where he was being neglected, Priebe said. Now, the cat adores love and attention.
Petey is just one of the senior cats in need of a home.
KSBY asked Priebe what a foster family needs.
Not a lot, she said.
"A good foster is someone who can provide a good, safe, loving home," Priebe said. "That's basically all you need."
The shelter will provide foster families with food, medication, litter and bedding.
"I would say the best thing you could do is come out and visit the shelter, because we have so many adorable kittens, young adult cats and seniors," Priebe said.
Anyone eighteen or older can apply to foster a cat online. The shelter also invites people to check out the adoptable cats and kittens on their website.
