A Red Deer man made a shocking discovery last Thursday when he found a group of abandoned cats while out for a drive near the Dickson Dam.
Jason Murphy said he had pulled over to enjoy the view when a Siamese-looking cat appeared next to his truck. At first, he thought it might belong to a nearby farm. But then more cats appeared.
“I walked into the trees and found about nine or ten of them,” Murphy said.
With no supplies on hand, Murphy returned to Red Deer to get food and water. He also contacted local animal shelters and posted a video of the cats to Facebook. When he returned to the site, several volunteers had already arrived to help.
“Before long we had them all gathered up and in the kennel,” Murphy said.
The cats were taken to the Central Alberta Humane Society, where they received urgent medical care. Megan Barrett, the organization’s executive director, said all the animals were malnourished and dehydrated. Some showed signs of upper respiratory infections, including calicivirus.
“One cat was in such bad condition it needed emergency care for painful mouth ulcers, which are a symptom of the virus,” Barrett said.
Even though some staff had already left for the day, they returned to help treat the sick cats.
Volunteers are still monitoring traps in the area, as more cats may be roaming nearby.
The incident has triggered strong reactions on social media, with many expressing anger over the apparent abandonment.
Red Deer County bylaw officers confirmed that while it is legal to trap cats on private property, abandoning them is not.
Some of the rescued cats were microchipped. The chips traced back to the Olds area, about 30 minutes south, and revealed the cats had been missing for months. However, when contacted by the Humane Society, the owners declined to reclaim them and instead surrendered custody.
So far, none of the animals have been reunited with their original families. The sudden influx of cats has placed significant strain on the already full shelter.
“We usually have about 80 to 90 cats or kittens in the building, along with around 35 dogs and other domestic animals,” said Kelly Richard, the society’s fund development coordinator.
Assessing the health of rescued animals is a complex process. Richard explained that the shelter’s veterinary team decides whether treatment can be done in-house or if emergency care is needed.
The Central Alberta Humane Society receives no government funding and relies completely on donations. It has turned to social media to ask for help, sharing an Amazon wish list for those who prefer to donate supplies like food or blankets.
“It’s an ongoing challenge,” said Richard. “We do the best we can with what we have, but we need the community’s help.”
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