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Cats abandoned by the dozens at Chesterfield feral colony

Posted at 3:45 PM, May 21, 2014
and last updated 2014-05-21 18:30:39-04

CHESTERFIELD, Va. (WTVR) -- In the last ten days, 25 cats have been abandoned near Hull Street and Courthouse Road in Chesterfield County.

Mary Cary, who has cared for a feral colony behind the Big Lots and Martins locations for nearly a decade, said ten abandoned kittens were abandoned Tuesday.

Only six cats, which have been spayed and neutered, are supposed to live in the feral colony. Caregivers said the location is not meant for any more.

Abdandoned Cats

Kittens abandoned Tuesday.

"Abandonment of a cat in Virginia is against the law," Cary, who described this as the worst case of dumping she has ever seen, told CBS 6 reporter Joe St. George.

Cary speculates the cause for the dumping may be because it is "kitten season" and that there are limited spots in shelters.

Cary argues that leaving kittens in the feral colony is dangerous since there is no guarantee a volunteer will show up.

Mary Cary

Mary Cary talks to Joe St. George at the feral cat colony. 

"An animal in a closed-in situation runs a high risk of perishing in the heat," Cary said.

Several of the kittens abandoned Tuesday are already in the foster care of workers at the Richmond Animal League.

The organization said this underscores the need for cat owners to spay and neuter their animals.

Feral Cat

"The easiest thing  to help control the pet population is to have your cat spayed or neutered," Elizabeth Thomas, a staffer at RAL, told CBS 6.

Thomas said various services are available through RAL and other animal organizations to ensure owners don't need to "dump" their four-legged friends.

Cary asks anyone with questions to contact her directly at nodumpingcats@gmail.com.