Usually in the Fitzhugh office the Last Word is the last story we write. Maybe it’s because we want to leave it to the last minute to make sure we can write about any possible event that might come up, or maybe it’s just a lack of organizational skills.

But after coming into work early Tuesday morning to get some last minute writing done, how could I not write about getting an 8:30 am call from Jasper by-law about confiscating 23 cats from a single bedroom apartment.

I thought my one-line jab about taking photos and writing stories about cats in my Last Word three weeks ago would be the end of the topic. Apparently not. When your morning starts with a phone call to take a photo of 23 cats, you know it’s going to be a weird day.

When I watched the by-law officer empty about four cat carriers full of cats and a big cardboard box full of kittens, I could not believe they had come from one single home.

Unless you live on a farm or have the worst infestation of mice ever, no one person, couple or family should let their pets reproduce to such a state.

To the credit of the owners, I was told their home was relatively clean, the animals were in good shape and the owners cooperated with the by-law officers when approached about the felines. However, somewhere between having one male and one female cat and having a family of 23 cats, things got out of control in that apartment.

Not being able to care for an animal is one thing. But separating the male cat from the rest of them at nighttime so as to not reproduce is not a good alternative to spaying an animal. Apparently cats too enjoy afternoon delight.

But while the owners now have their hands free of any problems, their irresponsibility has created what will likely be headaches for by-law officers, the Jasper veterinary clinic and the SPCA.

The kennel at the by-law building is built for a handful of animals – cats and dogs. Hopefully there aren’t any pets that are picked up by by-law this week, because 23 cats sure take up a lot of room – especially when separating males and females, because we know how that turns out.

After getting checked out at the veterinary clinic, I’m sure by-law will try and give as many cats away as possible before sending the rest to the SPCA in Hinton, where their fate will be unknown.

In Edmonton, SPCA cats are constantly replaced by new arrivals on a weekly basis. And by being replaced, I mean cat heaven. Letting your animals reproduce at such a rate when you are not able to care for them to the point that they end up at the SPCA basically means the euthanasia of another cat.

But lets try and be optimistic. The kittens are pretty darn cute, maybe a couple weeks old, and I’m sure the ‘teenage’ cats would fit in great with a family looking for a pet. So maybe residents adopt a few.

Maybe Jasper residents end up adopting a few cats, but I have to think that there will inevitably be some cats headed to the SPCA, whether they have room or not.

There is no by-law on the number of pets a resident can have, as long the owners can care for it. But a pet should be like a child, and while I’m sure it’s happened somewhere, parents wouldn’t have 23 babies if they can’t feed the four they already have.

So next time you get a pet, take a minute to think about the consequences that might prevail if you had to stop caring for it – sometimes taking on a pet can lead to more than you’re expecting.