Kelly's Kritters Addresses Kitten Overpopulation in Northern Michigan

Owner Kelly Lemcool stated, "The odds are way against our local outdoor kittens, and only one in four survive to adulthood. There truly needs to be a process in place that helps our cat population." In 2026 alone, Lemcool has already assisted 300 cats, adding to the thousands helped since opening Kelly’s Kritters seven years ago.

At their facility in Grawn, Michigan, Kelly’s Kritters is home to up to 40 cats at a time, utilizing a fostering program to care for them. Lemcool, a veterinary technician with 30 years of experience, developed the rescue after initially taking home one or two kittens each night, which quickly escalated to up to a dozen. She subsequently purchased the facility to expand her efforts.

The facility, located at 4470 Norton Rd., aims to become a comprehensive resource for pet care, currently offering a dog daycare, grooming, and veterinary services, while seeking additional services like animal massage therapy.

Lemcool expressed surprise at the rapid growth of Kelly’s Kritters and emphasized the urgency of addressing local cat overpopulation. She shared a recent example of a farmer whose two adopted cats had multiplied to 36, illustrating the critical need for community action.

"Even if it isn’t your cat, step up to help. Kitten care and responsibility is a community movement," Lemcool urged, recommending spaying and neutering programs to reduce the number of stray cats. She noted that as areas like Traverse City expand, the outdoor cat population is also increasing, leading to more cats requiring care.

While focusing primarily on kittens, Kelly’s Kritters also attends to older cats, providing medical care and facilitating adoption. Lemcool prefers in-person meetings for adoption to ensure lasting matches, stating, "We’ve seen a kitten so eager to go home with a family it got right into the carrier."

The adoption fee at Kelly’s Kritters is set at $125 and includes spaying or neutering, vaccinations, deworming, flea care, microchipping, and testing. This pricing is designed to make adoption more accessible, as Lemcool emphasized the unexpected costs that can arise from adopting unverified animals.

Kelly’s Kritters operates solely on community funding, receiving no grants or government support. The organization relies on fundraisers and donations to sustain its activities. Lemcool remains committed to expanding her support network, continually seeking volunteers, foster parents, and donations to aid the kittens in need.

For anyone with a litter of kittens needing assistance or a neighborhood cat requiring a check-up, Kelly’s Kritters is available to help and guide them to local resources. To donate or learn more about the cats available for adoption, visit their Facebook page for updates.