A local vet clinic is pleading with cat owners to neuter or spay their pets after two six-week old seal-point Siamese kittens were dumped at the Jasper Veterinary Clinic on Friday, July 17.

The kittens were dumped behind a truck parked by the vet clinic, and were quite ill when vet clinic staff found them.

“Their eyes were sealed with puss and their noses were running. It was one of the worst cases I’ve ever seen,” said Nicole Klopfenstein, an animal health technician with the Jasper Vet Clinic. “We’re all frustrated someone would do this.”

Weighing less than a kilogram each, the kittens have traditional seal-point markings, and have now opened their eyes.

The kittens, a male and a female, are currently battling an upper-respiratory disease, but have greatly improved since they were first picked up. By-law enforcement officers Paula Garnett and Seamus Mastre have been looking after the cats. The by-law officers said they get a call about stray cats about once a week in Jasper, and said those looking to adopt the kittens should contact bylaw services.

Because the markings are so distinct, the vet clinic believes one female cat has been producing litters for at least two years, as this isn’t the first time the vet clinic has seen these kittens. This is the second time this year Siamese kittens have been dumped in the community. In January, two kittens were left in a cardboard box by the United Church in sub zero temperatures, while the clinic has frequently seen similar kittens dumped in the community.

“Somebody in the community knows about this cat, so we’re looking for information,” said veterinarian Janet Jones. “It’s been two years, with the cat producing a couple of litters a year, it’s frustrating.”

“(The owners) are relying on other people to take care of their responsibility. These kittens are suffering and the owners let this happen while someone else saves their lives.”

Dr. Jones said spaying a cat isn’t expensive, and there are assistance programs available for those in need. She simply doesn’t want to see more cats dumped.

Two cats and their surviving offspring are capable of producing more than 80 million kittens in 10 years, if left unchecked, said Klopfenstein.

Jones said those who aren’t spaying their cat are making the problem much worse, as unwanted kittens end up getting euthanized.

“You are unknowlingly contributing to the death of these kittens in the end,” Jones said.

She said those who want their children to see kittens being born should take them to the SPCA in the spring.

Anyone looking to adopt the kittens is asked to contact bylaw services at 780-852-5514. Renters are asked to check with their landlords before adopting a pet.