Pasco County Animal Services Reminds You To ‘Leave Them Be’

PASCO COUNTY, FL — Have you ever found an abandoned cat or kitten and wondered what to do? With kitten season approaching, Pasco County Animal Services wants to share a friendly reminder that the best way to help stray or abandoned cats and kittens is to “Leave Them Be.”

“We appreciate the compassion of well-meaning residents who want to help kittens by taking them to a shelter. However, mom is usually nearby and will soon return to care for her babies,” said PCAS Director Mike Shumate. “Keeping these families together is the best way for everyone to stay healthy and happy.”

Here’s how you can help:

• “Leave Them Be” until mom returns
• Become a kitten foster parent until they’re 8 weeks old and can enter the shelter
• Learn from kitten feeding guides
• Receive how-to instructions and kitten care starter kits

At 8 weeks old, kittens can be brought in for Pasco Animal Services' TNVR (Trap Neuter Vaccinate Return) program, which is a humane, effective way of controlling the stray and feral cat population.

In 2021, more than 1,090 stray and feral cats were saved through PCAS’ TNVR program – nearly 380 more than the year before.

PCAS also offers SNIP (Spay & Neuter in Pasco), an income-based, low-cost program for pets.

To learn more about the “Leave Them Be” program, visit: bit.ly/LeaveThemBe.

This press release was produced by Pasco County Animal Services. The views expressed here are the author's own.