MANCHESTER — Dozens of cats, from newborns to adults, are living in the cramped quarters of the Manchester Animal Shelter after being removed from a residential building.

“They were not spayed or neutered, and were reproducing in the building,” said Shelley Greenglass, manager of the shelter. “We have seen them in worse conditions; apparently the resident took in strays from the streets.”

The city's animal control officers removed an estimated 34 cats from a single Spruce Street building on Tuesday and Wednesday. They were brought to the shelter, which has a contract with the city to take domestic stray animals.

As the Spruce Street strays were being brought in, the shelter was already experiencing a large influx of cats.

Where the agency normally has some 70 cats in its Dunbarton Street shelter, the addition of 34 cats in two days — along with another 19 collected separately from various spots n the city — swelled the feline population to more than 130.

The animals are being put up for adoption, but must first be spayed or neutered.

Londonderry veterinarian Kim Trahan, who provides services to the shelter, said most of the cats she examined seem to be in good shape

“Socially they are doing fine, and most seem well taken care of,” Trahan said.

The shelter's seven employees and a cadre of 100 animal lovers from the community are taking care of the cats.

“We have the greatest volunteers,” Greenglass said. “They take it in stride.”

Each morning, volunteers clean every cage, removing soiled litter and providing fresh water and food for the cats.

Extra cages, many of them donated, line corridors of the shelter's cat area, which is remarkably quiet for the number of felines in residence.

The shelter, which has a no-kill policy toward animals that are brought in, is now searching for permanent homes for the animals. Greenglass said some of the cats may have wandered away from their homes and may be considered “lost” by their owners.

The cats will be available for adoption after they have been spayed or neutered. Extra veterinarians have been called in to assist Trahan in dealing with the sudden increase in the cat population.

“Anyone interested should come down and check out the cats,” Greenglass said. “The sterilization should be done by next week.”

Fees for adopting cats have been set at $40 for September, with a fee of $70 for adoption of two cats.

Fees include basic shots and feline leukemia testing. The shelter throws in four pounds of the same cat food the animal has been eating.

The facility is at 490 Dunbarton Road in Manchester.

Call 628-3544 or visit www.manchesteranimalshelter.org for information.

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Bill Smith may be reached at wsmith@unionleader.com.