Lesley Wright

The Republic | azcentral.com

Mewing%2C squirming kittens abound in Humane Society's new nursery.

The Humane Society will nurture 400 to 800 kittens in new south Phoenix nursery.

Humane Society volunteers%2C vets and staff coo%2C cuddle and stroke new nursery kittens.

Volunteers in sterile smocks and gloves swayed and cooed as they rocked their tiny charges. A chorus of mews rang out as 106 infant cats rotated through "enrichment activities" in the Arizona Humane Society's new kitten nursery in Phoenix.

"We're known as a dog state," said spokeswoman Bretta Nelson. "But cats are the issue right now."

The Humane Society opened the $11,000 nursery last month as one of several initiatives to save more cats this year.

More than 20,000 cats came in to the group's two shelters last year, and only about one-third found homes. Veterinarians had to euthanize many of the others, especially the sick and feral.

"We are going to need more adopters than ever and that keeps me awake at night," Nelson said. "Cat overpopulation is a community issue and we need to work together to save these little lives."

A new mobile pet adoption unit will hit the road this month, and the Humane Society recently launched a "working cat" program. Owners of ranches, warehouses or other areas prone to mice and rats adopted 18 working cats just last week, Nelson said.

The nursery will nurture kittens until they reach an acceptable age and weight for adoption. Residents bring them in as strays, some are found by the Humane Society's emergency technicians, and some are surrendered by owners. Many of them would die on their own if not for the nursery.

"We are trying to get the kittens through that four-week (growth) period," said Dr. Steven Hansen, president of the state's Humane Society. "We anticipate saving 400 to 800 kittens in the next four months."

Staff members created the nursery in existing space at the Nina Mason Pulliam Campus for Compassion, a sprawling center near Dobbins Road and 15th Avenue.

Nelson said that donations will likely have to cover the annual operating costs, which could run as high as $70,000.

The kittens are 5 to 8 weeks old and weigh less than 2 pounds — too small to be spayed or neutered. Most are weaned, but 10 mother cats live there with their litters.

The group will continue to send kittens who need extra attention or bottle feeding to foster homes.

The nursery opened just in time for the spring crop of kittens.

Humane Society Shelter locations

• Nina Mason Pulliam Campus for Compassion, 1521 W. Dobbins Road, Phoenix

• Sunnyslope Campus, 9226 N. 13th Avenue, Phoenix

Petiques

• Petique at Biltmore Fashion Park, 2502 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix

• Petique at the Shops at Norterra, 2450 W. Happy Valley Road, Phoenix

• More details: azhumane.org