1 September 2023
EMPORIA (KSNT) – After eight underweight kittens were found in a plastic tote with fleas and maggots, the Street Cat Club (SCC) of Emporia started a fundraiser to help get them the treatment they need.
Founder and Executive Director Victoria Partridge said she was inspired to form the SCC because of a situation in 2019 when 86 cats were found at a local home. According to Partridge, in just three years the population of cats at the home had exploded, requiring urgent intervention.
After the tote was found with abandoned kittens, Partridge started a Facebook fundraiser to help cover their care. So far the SCC has raised $1,177 for the kittens’ rehabilitation.
“When they found the tote, three kittens had passed away,” Partridge said. “That night another kitten passed away. We posted them on our Facebook and let the community know we just took in these cats and this is their story. I put a little note if you need help getting your pets spayed or neutered to let us know so we can prevent this in the first place.”
The SCC of Emporia is a non-profit organization focused on improving the lives of stray cats in Lyon County. The organization was formed in 2019 under the Humane Society of the Flint Hills (HSFH). After developing its board of directors, finances and volunteer base, the SCC became an official non-profit charitable organization, according to the Street Cat Club website.
“Here in Emporia, there are a lot of stray cats, even though there are rescues helping cats they’re not focusing on the preventative side,” Partridge said. “We go out into the community and do a lot of trap neuter and return. We trap stray cats, neuter them and release them so they don’t increase the stray cat population.”
In August, the SCC took 40 cats into foster care, had 11 intakes, 16 adoptions and spayed or neutered 47 cats. The month brought the 2023 foster count up to 166 cats and 460 spays or neuters.
In 2023, the SCC spent $17,850 on veterinarian expenses, spayed or neutered 460 cats and helped 166 cats find new foster homes. Last year, the SCC had a 1,088% increase in cats trapped, neutered or spayed with 202 cats.