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Dozens of kittens rescued from Walton County home need new homes

WALTON COUNTY, Ga. — Dozens of kittens need new homes after animal volunteers rescued them from a home in Walton County this week.

Lifeline Animal Project says this case demonstrates how quickly feeding a few strays can turn into a hoarding case.

Karen Hirsch with Lifeline says the couple in their 80s started by feeding seven female strays. Within a year, the cats had dozens of babies.

Rescuers found more than 50 cats living on the property. Hirsch says many are only a few weeks old, and “a lot of them have eye infections, some respiratory issues.”

The kittens need foster care until they can be adopted at 4 months old.

“These kittens need to get out of the veterinary clinic because we’re out of room and their systems are so young they’re fragile and they need a place where they can grow and recuperate,” said Hirsch.

Hirsch said a local group in Walton County is helping care for the adult cats but called Lifeline to help with the kittens. Lifeline has taken 16 kittens so far and will have 23 kittens in total as soon as others are found.

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Kitten season typically happens during warm months, between April and October in the metro Atlanta area. Hirsch says both the DeKalb and Fulton county shelters are filled.

“They have kittens in the offices, in the clinics, there are kittens everywhere," she said.

If you have feral cats in your neighborhood, Hirsch asks you to try to trap, neuter and release.  You can contact Lifeline to learn about low-cost spay/neuter programs.

“Just don’t feed them and let them multiply," she said.

If you’d like to foster or adopt, you can contact Lifeline Animal Project at LifelineAnimal.org.