Columbia Falls resident Brooke Hall saw a Facebook post last month about a man who found a small, grey kitten in the woods near Mud Lake and delivered it to KittyMom’s Rescue Organization. 

Hall and her sister grabbed a humane trap, went to the location 22 miles up the North Fork Road and, over the course of a few days, captured two juvenile cats and four very young kittens.  

“I chased the little white and tabby one through the deep brush. She didn't really have a lot of energy ... and then the little boy kitten was trying to climb up a tree so I just grabbed him,” Hall said. “The two juveniles -- one was trying to go up a tree and the other one I caught with a net while she was eating. I had her distracted with food.” 

Two more kittens were caught in the live trap the women monitored. Their search continues for more cats that have been seen in the area. 

“It was mind-boggling to think somebody dumped all these cats,” said Bonnie Hodges, longtime Whitefish animal advocate. “I just find that so unconscionable. I don't care if you're a cat lover or not a cat lover, it's a life. It's a life.” 

Hall and her husband recently opened Legends Restyling in Evergreen and, along with their three children, also opened their home to four of the found cats, one of whom is pregnant. Hall’s sister is caring for two cats, and her sister-in-law has another pair. 

"There's no reason why these cats should be being dumped,” Hall said. “There are so many different people who would gladly take on vetting them and taking care of them until stable homes can be found. I'm not sure why people think that they have the need to dump them 22 miles out of town.” 

Hall said she received help from KittyMOM’s Rescue and from a couple of “very sweet ladies” in the valley who donated food, litter, bedding and other needed items. Other people heard Hall’s story and donated money to help pay for the cats’ care, too. 

She was also connected with the Spay and Neuter Task Force and has an appointment to get all the cats “fixed” once they are of a weight and age when that is possible. 

“I’ve always been big on not letting animals suffer for somebody else’s negligence. It’s part of my upbringing,” said the Flathead Valley-born Hall, adding this is the third time she’s stepped up when animals are in need. “If people would just be responsible or ask for help. 

“There's no need to dump cats when there are so many resources and so many people who would willingly take the cats that somebody can't handle. Anybody who found a litter of kittens, I'd be more than willing to help, just the same as KittyMOM’s.” 

Hall suggested that someone needing to surrender a cat should call KittyMOM’s or the spay and neuter clinic for help.  

“It's $35 to spay and neuter the group ... if you bring mom and kittens in, all at the same time, they'll do the kittens for free,” Hall said of the Spay and Neuter Task Force.  

Hall said in most cases, the solution is “doable," with resources like the spay and neuter clinic, but “[people] don't care to do it,” she said. 

“I noticed an uptick in the amount of cats that I've seen posted and the amount of dogs that have been going into the shelters and it's breaking my heart,” Hall said. “It's sad to see the amount of animals that are out running around now.” 

Hodges says it takes one person to do the right thing and not be afraid to step in, like Hall did. She said the community will come together like spokes on a wheel to help people with their pets. 

“They weren't asking for this to be on their plate, but it happened, and they stepped up and they did the right thing, the honorable thing,” said Hodges of Hall. “One person posts something, another person responds, and they act.” 

LEADERS OF LOCAL animal welfare groups agree that if someone finds a stray dog, they should call the local police department and/or animal control, part of the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, so an officer can pick up the dog and bring it to the county shelter.  

The procedure is different when stray cats or kittens are found. 

“Animal control will rarely respond for a lost cat or kittens,” said Stacie DaBolt, executive director of the Humane Society of Northwest Montana. “The burden lands on us, the county, Spay and Neuter Task Force and KittyMOM’s. It puts a lot of pressure on the public and the finders to find more resources to help.” 

The Flathead Spay and Neuter Task Force provides low cost spay and neuter services to low-income pet owners, but for cats, the low-income qualification is waived.  

Mimi Beadles, executive director of the task force, said while about a quarter of the 1,800 spay and neuter surgeries the nonprofit performs each year are on feral cats, the majority of the procedures are performed on cats people have found. 

The cost to spay or neuter either found or feral cats at the Task Force is $35. Currently, the Task Force is about a month out for cat spay/neuter appointments and by midsummer, Beadles said they’ll be “months and months out.” 

The Task Force celebrated its 60,000th spay and neuter surgery in May, and although 1,800 procedures a year is an impressive total, Beadles said they’d need to do closer to 3,000 per year to get ahead of the curve. 

“We've got to be able to help get cats off the street and have a veterinarian who can get them fixed, at least. Both facilities have the resources to do that,” Beadles said. “I honestly don't know what the complete answer is. I don't think anybody in the country does that's in animal welfare. Nobody's ever saying, ‘Oh, we've done plenty. We've just fixed everything.  

“But I truly think we can all do more,” she added. 

Reporter Julie Engler can be reached at 406-862-3505 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at whitefishpilot.com/support.

Resources 

For pet owners who are having temporary difficulty affording food for their pets, the county shelter and the Humane Society have food pantries, and several local food banks supply pet food. 

For help managing a pet or a found animal, contact: 

KittyMOM’s Rescue Organization: 406-752-4460 

Flathead Spay and Neuter Task Force: 406-892-7387 

Humane Society of Northwest Montana: 406-752-7297 

Flathead County Animal Shelter: 406-752-1310 

Ways to help  

Taylor Hunt, Flathead City County Health Department public information officer, said there are several ways community members can help address the growing needs of the animal shelters and rescue organizations, including: 

Adopt a pet 

Adopt, don’t shop, or as Nikki Linn, local animal advocate, says, “You buy, they die.”  

Adopting a shelter pet not only changes that animal's life but also creates space for another pet in need. 

Donate supplies or a monetary gift 

All of the shelters and rescue organizations in the valley rely on monetary donations and wish list items such as enrichment toys, collars, harnesses, leashes, crate pads, cleaning supplies, and pet food. 

Volunteer or become a foster family 

Volunteers and foster families are essential to the work of every shelter and rescue organization. Anyone interested in volunteering or fostering is encouraged to reach out to their local shelter or rescue organization to learn about current opportunities. 

Support local pet food assistance programs 

Community members can donate to pet food programs, which provide temporary assistance to families experiencing financial hardship. These programs help keep pets with the families who love them, reduce unnecessary pet surrenders, and are consistently relied upon by members of our community.  

Practice responsible pet ownership 

Keeping pets safely contained, ensuring they have proper identification, keeping vaccinations current, and spaying or neutering them all help reduce the number of animals entering local shelters. Responsible pet ownership is one of the most effective ways community members can support animal welfare. 

Push for better legislation 

The Flathead Valley has an ordinance requiring stray dogs are brought to the shelter. However, there is no legislation regarding cats, DaBolt said. 

“Whether someone adopts, volunteers, fosters, donates, or simply shares information about adoptable pets with friends, family, and neighbors, every act of support makes a difference,” Hunt said. “Addressing pet overpopulation and caring for homeless animals is truly a community effort.” 

    A female calico kitten found in the woods near Mud Lake. (Photo provided)  

    Brooke Hall found this grey, male kitten, now nwmed Prince, in the woods near Mud Lake. (Photo provided)