An ever-increasing feline population is taking a toll on the Humane Society Yukon’s Mae Bachur Animal Shelter.

It also stressing foster families who help out in providing temporary homes to some of the shelter’s animals.

The situation prompted shelter officials to post a call for help on its Facebook page earlier this week.

In it, it was pointed out that just a couple of years ago, kittens were being shipped up to the territory from shelters Outside for Yukoners wanting to adopt.

“Unfortunately, this has changed drastically; we are now always completely full of cats and kittens,” the post reads.

“Finding fosters that are willing to keep and look after kittens and a mom for eight weeks is very difficult to do.”

The shelter pointed out that there’s only one foster family that can take in mother cats and their litters.

“This year alone, she has taken in 130 kittens,” it’s noted. “Since we have a huge cat problem, our foster found amazing rescues who have taken the majority of these kittens as we do not have the room to take them in.”

Right now, it continues, the one foster home able to take moms and kittens for the required eight weeks, has three moms with their litters.

It then asks anyone who might be able to open up their homes to contact the shelter at 633-6019.

The post has drawn a lot of interest, with a total of 56 reactions, 85 shares and a long list of comments.

Some note their interest in fostering, others are looking to adopt kittens, others are attaching the names of other Facebook users to the comments and a few are taking issue with former owners not getting their cats spayed.

Dan Moore, the shelter’s executive director, told the Star Thursday staff have since received a number of calls from people offering to foster the felines. Efforts are underway to make that happen.

He noted the cat population seems to have been growing for about a year, with the last six months being especially difficult.

After recently sending about 15 cats to a B.C. rescue, another 20 came into the shelter’s care.

“(We’re) treading water,” Moore said, noting that when cats aren’t spayed or neutered and they get outside, it doesn’t take long for the population to jump.

The shelter can comfortably house about 15 cats in the area it has for general population cats and another eight in the isolation unit, where they stay for some time before being moved into general population.

At times, the shelter’s staff room has also been used as a place for cats to stay, as humane society officials don’t want to turn any animals away.

“It just becomes a juggling act here,” Moore said.

Right now, 20 cats are staying at the shelter while 15 others are in foster homes.

Moore said the situation highlights the importance of spaying and neutering.

“It doesn’t take long for a population explosion,” he said.

The shelter’s dog kennels are also full.

The facility works with the Yukon government’s program by taking in strays from other communities, Moore noted.

Seven dogs from a community were recently brought in and are currently in the isolation unit. Moore said he believes most will find homes fairly quickly.

As the 20-year-old shelter continues to deal with the overabundance of cats, Moore said he’s hopeful more potential foster families will come forward for both the dog and cat populations.

“It’s a great way to help out,” he said, pointing out that even for those who may not be able to have a pet in their home, there may be opportunities.

He pointed out some foster families work with the shelter to take a dog on weekend camping trips, for example.

Even in those cases where the foster time is short, the animals seem to come back more relaxed and happy.