Leigh’s Lost and Found: The impact of Watching Over Whiskers’ new building on the stray cat population

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - In today’s Leigh’s Lost and Found, an update on the first year for Springfield’s only dedicated cat rescue’s new headquarters and shelter.

Watching Over Whiskers opened its new headquarters off Sunshine just over a year ago. It’s a made a huge difference in saving stray cats, but the underlying problem isn’t going away.

WOW’s founder Marci Bowling says, “it’s been a blessing to be here because it’s been an extension of our foster homes, which was the design.”

The building’s many different rooms are working to get cats off the streets and into forever homes, freeing up her foster families to take in even more.

“When cats get old enough and big enough and vetted, they can come here and then those fosters can take in new, young ones that are injured, sick or not fully vetted yet.”

The problem is, the rooms are always full.

Marci says, “it feels like groundhog day because it’s the same thing over and over again.”

Marci says that won’t stop until the community rallies around three little letters.

“TNR stands for trap, neuter, return. We’re all well meaning, but feeding without fixing is really failing. We’re failing them because we’re allowing them to reproduce and that is not acceptable, that’s just making the cycle worse and worse every year.”

WOW already has taken in nine litters of strays this year and kitten season is just getting into full swing.

“It’s going to crescendo until we get enough of the TNR and things done to really take that bell curve and start to bring it down. We’re not seeing any relief yet.”

Marci and her team want to help provide that relief by educating people who take care of stray cat colonies.

“Even if someone wants to TNR in just their neighborhood, their street or a business that they frequent and they want to help them, by all means we’d love to have help at any and all of those locations. We are great at teaching you how to do that and then help fund those appointments here in town.”

She goes on to say, “it takes a village to be their voice. We want to help people understand that and educate and help them be a part of that positive change.”

WOW is holding a kitten shower on Saturday, April 23rd to collect donations and supplies. If you’d like to drop something off, it’s from 2 until 5 pm at 3014 east Sunshine. The rescue’s wish list is linked below.

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