Are there more stray cats in the Steinbach area this year?

Steinbach and Area Animal Rescue president Michelle Neufeld says she has noticed an increase in the number of calls for stray cats.

"We've gotten so many calls this year, especially for injured cats. We've had a lot that have had broken legs, we've had a few that have been shot, and all have received medical care. There are tons of kittens and it just seems like this year has been way busier than average."

Mai (Photo credit: Steinbach and Area Animal Rescue)Neufeld notes she's not sure why there was an increase in the number of stray cats this year and is not sure where they're all coming from.

"The ones that people do let out [of their home], those ones tend to go back home or they have a tattoo in their ear, they're very well looked after. The ones that we find and that we post, usually there are no owners that come forward."

She says there is a difference between a stray cat and a feral cat.

"Feral cats are ones that are not approachable, they won't let you touch them, they're basically wild. We don't have a whole lot of them. The feral ones, sometimes we try to trap them and then we'll get them spayed or neutered and release them onto farms if available."

Neufeld says if someone finds a stray animal, cat or dog, they should be checked for a tattoo and brought to a vet for identification or treatment if injured.