Linda Howells, with her cat George on Tuesday morning, talks about how she hopes enough donations will come in to care for the homeless kitties in the area and start a shelter in the Reedsport community. - World Photo by Jolene Guzman

Linda Howells has been rescuing animals all her life.

Though as a child she begged her mother to let her keep whatever animal — dog or cat — that followed her home, cats have always had a special place in Howells’ heart.

She has fond memories of playing with a batch of kittens she took care of as a youngster.

“All my kittens were bouncing on my bed,” she said with a big smile, “I was in seventh heaven.”

Her home in Reedsport is still full of kitties — five in all and a few more outside. Chloe, Curly and Casper are siblings, who were born about a year ago. Their mom, Momma Girl, stays outside and is about ready to add another batch of kittens into the mix. Howells will try to find homes for both the 1-year-olds and the kittens. Big, friendly George and Molly, also known as Mean Molly Mouser, are permanent residents. Papa Joe, another outside kitty, rounds out the furry feline group.

Howells’ ever-expanding gang has become a lot to look after. She said her situation is not unique.

So when a poisoned cat — a young cat that didn’t survive — made his way over to her home a few months ago, Howells was pushed to action.

A neck injury keeps Howells from working, but that hasn’t kept the energetic woman from cultivating a plan to give local people another option to help reduce the number of homeless felines in the area.

She is starting a fund at Umpqua Bank to collect donations to cover the cost of spaying and neutering stray cats. Once the program starts and the cats have had a trip to the vet — which will include spaying or neutering, a leukemia test, three vaccinations, de-worming, de-fleaing and ear mite treatment — photos will be taken of the cats to help find them homes.

“Finding homes is important,” Howells said, adding she is concerned for the seven felines she cares for. “I’m worried about them. What if I moved? I can’t haul all these cats around.”

For the time in between a vet visit and finding a permanent home, Howells hopes people will build and donate wooden stackable kitty houses that will give the adoptable cats a place out of the elements.

Howells understands that the number of strays has become a problem — and one that many people can’t afford to take care of.

“People don’t have the money. They are on such fixed incomes in this community,” Howells said, adding that she too is on a fixed income and feeding seven cats has become a financial burden. “I could never afford to get them all taken care of.”

The City of Reedsport doesn’t have the money to combat the situation either, Reedsport Police Department Communications Officer and Reedsport Animal Shelter volunteer manager Sherry Watson said. Unlike dogs, cats are not required to be licensed, given rabies shots or kept on the owner’s property in Oregon, she added.

They also require more care than Reedsport’s shelter volunteers or budget can provide.

“Cats take different kind of care than dogs,” Watson said, adding that they need indoor enclosures that the city’s shelter lacks. “We don’t have the facilities or the funds for that.”

Howells noted that the situation has only become worse as people dump cats and kittens in town or don’t spay or neuter their pets before a new litter comes along.

Debbie Williams at Lower Umpqua Veterinary said kittens as young as four months can start reproducing. The average age is about 10 months. Females can have two to three litters in a single year.

“I wish people would realize that,” Howells said. “Just get one you can afford to take care of.”

In the future, she would like the program to expand beyond just homeless cats and offer help to residents with low or fixed incomes to spay or neuter their pets. Eventually she hopes donations will be enough to help create a humane society facility in town to take both cats and dogs.

Meanwhile, even small donations will help. At a recent Reedsport City Council meeting, Howells said that if 1,000 people could donate just $5, that would give the program a good start.

“If we could all work together and support this cause, it would take the burden off people,” Howells said. “I’m looking forward to what I can do to help out.”

To give donations, those interested can contribute to fund named “Stray Rescue” that will be set up at Reedsport Umpqua Bank located at 1975 Winchester Ave.