Crowding cat 'crisis'

Two weeks ago, 12 cats in a box were dumped in front of Kitten Rescue of Mason County's gate on state Route 3 in Shelton.

That brought the cat and kitten population at the nonprofit organization to 92 felines. Add to that the 110 cats at local foster homes, and the agency has 202 cats without permanent homes.

The after-hours abandonment of unwanted cats, a drop in adoptions and a shaky economy have combined to create "horrendous" and "deplorable" problems for the nonprofit, said Dee Sigmond, the group's executive director.

"It's a major, major crisis ... every cage is booked," Sigmond said. Sh...