Forty cats from a Catskill rescue now have a second shelter helping with their care. Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA said in an Oct. 26 update that it transferred 40 cats to AnimalKind, a nonprofit cat rescue in Hudson, so they could receive individualized attention while preparing for new lives.
The handoff followed an Oct. 22 operation at 68 North Street. Catskill Police said they found “upwards of 100” cats in the apartment, according to an Oct. 23 report by the *Times Union*. CGHS/SPCA later reported that it received 96 cats and one dog from the residence. The public accounts do not explain the difference between the early police description and the shelter’s later intake count; this story uses the shelter’s figure for animals it received. The Times Union reported that police were alerted to the apartment that Thursday, executed a search warrant and later condemned the building after the animals were removed.
The response reached beyond one shelter. In its Oct. 23 account, the *Times Union* said Catskill Police conducted the search and were assisted by six animal-welfare organizations: CGHS/SPCA, Mohawk Hudson Humane Society, Albany County’s Animal Cruelty Task Force, Schenectady County SPCA, AnimalKind and Hyer Rescue. Police said the cats were being examined and treated by veterinarians and would be taken to shelters for temporary housing and further care. CGHS/SPCA’s release separately named Catskill Police, its own team, Mohawk Hudson’s Humane Law Enforcement Division and Schenectady SPCA in the investigation and rescue; the Oct. 26 update identified 40 of its intake transferred to AnimalKind.
The humane society said some cats were underweight and many had fleas and intestinal parasites. Its Oct. 26 release said those conditions had been treated and that most cats were expected to make a full, relatively quick recovery with proper nutrition, veterinary care and shelter staff attention. That is the organization’s outlook for the group, not a report of individual recovery or medical clearance.
The 40-cat transfer is one specific part of the response. AnimalKind is a Hudson-based nonprofit. The Oct. 26 CGHS/SPCA release said AnimalKind would provide individualized attention and appropriate care as the cats prepared for new lives. In its release, the humane society quoted AnimalKind’s Nicki Armsby saying the organization was pleased to help and looked forward to finding them homes.
Armsby also spoke with WRGB/CBS6 reporter Quinn Alexander. In the station’s Oct. 26 report, she said the 40 cats from Thursday’s seizure were still being treated and needed more time before they could go to homes. She said the team was being careful about moving them again because stress can affect their health. Armsby told CBS6 that repeated moves can put cats at risk of upper-respiratory illness, so the team was trying to keep them settled.
CGHS/SPCA CEO Ron Perez told CBS6 the broader increase in animal intakes had stretched staffing, with employees working overtime. He said the shelter’s care work includes medical treatment, spay and neuter procedures, and health testing. His comments described the organization’s overall workload, not a completed checklist for the 40 cats at AnimalKind.
The humane society said its most immediate need was adopters, explaining that each placement frees space and resources for another animal. It reported that adoption fees for cats, dogs and small animals at CGHS/SPCA were being waived through Oct. 31 through Subaru Loves Pets; the CGHS/SPCA release also said AnimalKind's cat adoption fees were sponsored. The fee offers do not change the medical-clearance step for cats from the rescue.
For people interested in adopting, CBS6 reported that applications in advance are encouraged because same-day approvals are not guaranteed. CGHS/SPCA said many other cats were already waiting for homes at the shelters, so interested people can look at those available animals while the transferred group receives care.
Taken together, the accounts describe a regional response, with police, humane societies and rescue organizations taking different roles. The reported 40-cat transfer gave AnimalKind a chance to provide individualized care as the shelters prepared the cats for eventual homes.
Reader responses