He said they have just transferred 16 cats into the care of Project Save A Cat’s Life, for veterinary care and to be fostered out.

The rescues are trying to get the pregnant mother cats into foster homes.

They are waiting for the cats with litters of young kittens to start weaning the young in order to remove them from the farm.

“Most of them are getting close to being weaned off moms,” said Greer.

In years prior, the Welland SPCA took in over 20 cats from the farm on Merritt Road that neighbours trapped and brought in.

“Part of the problem is with the two humane societies having jurisdiction in it,” said Greer. “Lincoln County Humane actually was dealing with the owner.”

Greer said he believes it was part of an animal cruelty investigation, and now the owner is not able to be located.

The Lincoln County Humane Society (LCHS) has closed their investigation into the case, as it was determined that the cats have no owner.

They received five cats from the property, which are all being cared for by a local vet. One very small kitten could not be saved.

LCHS will also be monitoring the site going forward.

Greer said strays are their jurisdiction, but cats involved in animal cruelty cases and are suffering are part of the LCHS mandate.

“Their mandate is different, so we really don’t communicate back and forth,” said Greer, explaining that it would not be the role of the Welland SPCA to get involved in the animal cruelty investigation.

The Town of Lincoln does not have a cat bylaw, so Greer said their role is to accept cats if they are trapped.

If there were a bylaw, they would step in as an animal control agency.

“We do a really, really aggressive adoption,” said Greer, at the cat adoption centre at the Seaway Mall. He said the maximum influx of cats that they can manage is 20 to 25.

“We would have to move those out relatively quickly,” said Greer.

The Welland SPCA is a very low-kill shelter, said the executive director. Staff only euthanize in cases of severe aggression or illness.

The upper respiratory issues and the injuries the Beamsville cats have are being treated.

Eventually, the pregnant mother cat stepped into the trap.

Huson said her organization is in dire need of homes for the cats being rescued, as well as donations like food, blankets, cat litter and more.

She said to date, she has been overwhelmed with the support from those bringing food and water to the site to help out.

“One small room and one big heart is all we need to rescue a life,” she said.