Petland Veterinarians Donate Time and Expertise to Reduce Cat Overpopulation

Each spring, cat rescues and shelters across the country brace for “kitten season,” when rising temperatures lead to a surge in homeless cats and kittens. In 2025, many rescues again found themselves overwhelmed. In Chillicothe, Ohio, multiple cat rescues reached out to Petland for help placing animals into safe, permanent homes.

What followed was a community-wide collaboration that went far beyond Petland’s usual adoption support. Thanks to Petland veterinarians Dr. Rebecca Atwood and Dr. Sarah Hettinger, who also leads operations for Animal Health Center of Chillicothe, 1,291 feral and rescue cats were spayed or neutered in 2025; significantly reducing future overpopulation while improving the animals’ long-term health.

“We know how overwhelmed the shelters and rescues become every year, and with Petland stores as an outlet for cat placement, we knew we could - and should - do more,” Dr. Atwood said. “Spaying and neutering protects the health of these cats and helps to address the root cause of overpopulation in our communities.”

Dr. Hettinger and her clinic team expanded their surgical capacity throughout the summer and fall, working closely with area cat rescue organizations including Cats & Company, The Cat Round Up Rescue, Purrrfect Companion, along with Petland’s adoption program.

“Even though kitten season is something we see every year (typically between May and October in Ohio), the feral cat population is a significant year-round issue,” Dr. Hettinger explained. “We made room in our schedule to perform as many surgeries as possible to help put a dent in the local homeless cat population.”

Every cat receives a pre-surgical health exam and appropriate treatment before undergoing surgery. Cats entering Petland’s Adopt a Kitten/Cat program get their initial vaccines and are checked to ensure they are healthy and ready for adoption. They are also FIV and FeLV tested.

Between January and December 2025, Animal Health Center of Chillicothe completed 817 spay and 474 neuter surgeries of feral and rescue cats, a dramatic increase compared to previous years.

“The health benefits are substantial,” Dr. Hettinger said. “Spaying and neutering prevents unintended litters, reduces behavioral and medical issues, and increases the chances these cats can be placed into loving homes.”

She also emphasized the importance of the relationships built during the effort. “The rescues are genuinely happy that Petland is helping. This isn’t about taking kittens in to make them available for adoption - it’s about providing a service that moves a high volume of cats into homes, while supporting rescue organizations.”

Thanks to the collaboration, hundreds of cats are now healthier. Fewer litters will be born in the future, and many animals are already living in, or on their way to safe, loving homes.

The veterinarians encourage every Petland location to partner with their local shelters, rescues and veterinarians to reduce cat overpopulation in your communities.