Foster mom Elaina Haugen with Kira. She and her mother Jeanette Haugen cared for the pregnant stray and her six kittens, all now available for adoption. The Haugens have provided a foster home for Cats Cradle rescues for more than 10 years. (Photo/Nancy Hanson.)

Cats Cradle Shelter looks for quarters for homeless cats

Nancy Edmonds Hanson

Cats Cradle Shelter is facing a perfect storm. For only the second time in its 10-year history, the no-kill shelter that collects and finds homes for cats that find their way into the Moorhead and West Fargo Pounds has had to temporarily close its doors – forced to turn away felines due to the highly contagious scourge of ringworm that has locked down its shelter.

Meanwhile, the cats and kittens just keep coming.

“The number of cats coming into the pounds is just blowing up,” says Gail Adams-Ventzke, who with Carol Stefonek has guided the nonprofit since its founding ten years ago.

But Cats Cradle can’t accept them right now. Nor can the 52 resident cats in its seven community rooms be adopted out to make room for more – not until they and their neighbors test negative for the nasty fungal infection. (Despite the name, ringworm has nothing to do with actual worms.) That means the organization is counting more than ever on its 40 or so foster families, along with several businesses that have stepped up to house adoptable cats, including the Natural Pet Center and Wags Stay and Play.

On Saturday, a crowd of kittens was on hand at Natural Pet, as they will be in coming weeks, to meet potential adopters ready to fall in love. They were brought in for their public debut by foster families who have housed, fed and socialized them, sometimes welcoming pregnant females who give birth and mother their babies under the watchful eye of the shelter’s volunteers.

“About 150 cats and kittens are being cared for by foster families right now,” Carol reports. “Our faithful fosters are great. But with the number of cats who need our help, we need more of them. We need to clear them out so we can take in more.”

It’s a challenge that they and Homeward Animal Shelter meet every day. Cats Cradle collects the cats that come into the pounds in Moorhead and West Fargo, while they split those from Fargo. Over the past 10 years, no adoptable cat has been euthanized in the F-M community, thanks to them and their rosters of cat-loving volunteers.

Jeanette Haugen and her 17-year-old daughter Elaina are two of those faithful volunteers. They have been fostering rescued cats – often starting with pregnant females and raising their litters – for the past decade. On Saturday, one of their mom cats, coal-black Kira, was on hand meeting potential adopters, along with four white kittens. Two tabbies had already found new homes.

Foster felines are thoroughly vetted before they’re ready to join their families. According to Gail, they’re isolated and observed there for at least a week to evaluate their behavior and health. Then come a series of essential steps: deworming, vaccination for rabies and distemper, microchipping and, of course, spaying or neutering.

“We keep them by themselves for at least a few days to get used to their room and calm down,” says Elaina, who has been helping with the family’s fosters since she was a third grader. “That gives them a chance to get used to the sounds and smells of the house and the rest of our animals.” The Haugens have four permanent cats as well as dogs, chickens and guinea fowl.

“Then we win them over with play therapy and treats,” she adds.

How much time do she and her mother spend with their young guests? “As much as we possibly can,” Jeanette says with a laugh.”

Cats Cradle’s hours and the process of adoption have been changed ever since Covid-19 closed off public access to protect the many volunteers who care for its wards and meet the public. Now, Gail explains, potential adopters fill out applications online, then meet the cats. When the ringworm scourge is vanquished, they’ll have access to the now-quarantined cats by appointment. In the meantime, they may meet their new family members at events like the Natural Pet Center’s open houses.

Potential foster families are encouraged to contact Gail or Carol at the shelter by calling 701-356-PURR. More information on the shelter and its programs, as well as the online adoption application, can be found at www.catscradleshelter.org.

Meanwhile, those who already have pitched in to rescue the community’s homeless cats are raising adoptable felines … and facing the hardest part of their mission.

“It’s hard to give them up when you’ve raised them,” Elaina concedes. “But you can’t keep them all.”

Yet some do remain in their hearts. “All of our cats,” she confides, “are foster fails.”