Orphaned cats looking for new homes after their owners pass away

BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO (WTRF) – When cats and kittens are taken in by a rescue, each one has a back story. They may have been abandoned, abused, neglected or lost.

But 20% of those at the Belmont County Humane Society come from another situation– their owner has died.

Angela Hatfield calls them orphans, and says their best outcome–if at all possible–is to allow them to stay in the home temporarily, with someone coming in to care for their needs.

Meanwhile the Humane Society will search for a new home for them.

“It’s just, you know when cats get older, transition is really hard. So to make a transition to a rescue and then to go from a rescue to another home, it’s just another trauma. So it just saves that animal from being traumatized further after they’ve already been traumatized by losing their family.”

Angela Hatfield, Executive Director of the Belmont County Humane Society

Right now, the Belmont County Humane Society has three orphaned cats–a calico named Tiger, a Siamese named Peaches and a longhaired cat named Fluffly. They are all waiting for a new loving home.

They have many other cats and kittens as well. The Humane Society is located in St. Clairsville and can be reached at (304) 281-6769.

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