News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Huron Humane Society Manager Ashley Hilberg plays with kittens while at work on Thursday. The shelter has nearly 100 cats and is running low on supplies and looking for additional volunteers.

ALPENA — The Huron Humane Society is seeking help to bolster its inventory of supplies to help care for nearly 100 cats and kittens that currently call the shelter home.

Cindy Johnson, Huron Humane Society president, said the shelter also has a waiting list of about 50 other cats and dogs — mostly cats — waiting to be housed.

The shelter needs chicken pate canned cat food, laundry soap, disinfecting bleach, dish soap, and dryer sheets. Cash donations are also welcome.

Johnson said most of the cats and kittens are available to good homes via adoption.

Having a large occupancy of cats at the shelter is not new, but Johnson said this year there seems to be more than in years past. She attributed that to late-summer litters of kittens being born and people not being able to afford their animals any more. She said she is unsure why there are so many animals being surrendered.

“We adopt one out and others come in and we are just losing ground,” Johnson said. “It is insane, and this is absolutely the worst I have seen for this long of a period.”

In order to keep the cat population under control, Johnson said it is critical people get their furry friends spayed and neutered. To help ensure that happens, Johnson said the shelter works with local veterinarians to make sure any unneutered cats become so after adoption.

The adoption price for a cat from the shelter is $50 and $75 for kittens.

Each animal adopted is current on basic vaccinations and comes with a bag of food and a certificate for a free veterinary visit.

If the cat you choose has been vaccinated for rabies, a $23 fee will be tacked on to the base adoption fee.

Any unaltered animal adopted from the Huron Humane Society will come with a certificate to be spayed or neutered free of charge at Sunrise Veterinary Clinic, Alpena Veterinary Clinic, or Switzer Veterinary Clinic.

A $50 refundable fee is added to the base adoption fee, but, after proof of altering surgery is produced, the $50 fee is refunded via check.

Cats surgically altered at the shelter will cost an extra $50 to cover the price of the procedure.

Besides supplies, Johnson said the shelter also needs more people to lend a hand. She said that, even if people can donate a couple hours of their time, it will help the staff, which she said has worked long hours to intake, care for, and eventually find homes for the animals.

“Volunteers are welcome, welcome, welcome. I can’t say that enough,” Johnson said. “Even if you just help wash laundry, pet cats, walk dogs, all help is welcome.”

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ss_alpenanews.com.