“Kitten Season” is happening all over the country in the springtime. In the parts of the country that experience a version of all four seasons, outdoor cats (and mostly indoor cats who venture out) will begin to breed once it starts to get warm again. Responding to environmental stimuli during the longer days, female cats will go into heat and then the fellas will come along.
And many of those litters end up in shelters. With the season lasting more than half the year, outdoor female cats—whose pregnancies only last a couple months—can sometimes birth multiple litters in one season. All told, thousands and thousands of baby cats are born. For shelters taking in newborns, that’s a lot of time, money, and resources spent on housing, feeding, and caring for the kittens. It’s why they can use some help.
Below are some great suggestions from Daily Paws on how you can help during Kitten Season.
Leave That Kitten Nest Alone
When a momma outdoor cat gives birth to a litter, she’ll construct a kind of nest for her small family. It’s not uncommon to come across their little home when the kittens are alone, but that’s normal. The mom needs to hunt and find water. Not to mention, she might be nearby, waiting for you to leave.
So, what should you do? Well what you should NOT do, is quickly scoop the kittens up and bring them to your nearest shelter. Instead, look closely to see if they look clean and appear to weigh a healthy amount. See if they’re warm to the touch, too (while being careful, of course). If they look healthy, leave them in the care of their mother. Experts say that’s what is truly best for young kittens. Her milk, filled with antibodies, helps their newborn immune systems develop, and she keeps them on their frequent feeding schedule. Her cleaning the kittens also serves as a stimulant, letting her babies know when to go to the bathroom.
If newborn kittens are shuttled to a shelter, all that responsibility falls to shelter staff and foster families. That’s spending between five and 10 minutes feeding the kittens a special replacement formula every two hours and mimicking their mom’s cleaning to encourage them to pee or poop, i.e. a ton of work. That’s why otherwise kind-hearted, well-meaning people bringing in litters of kittens has become a “pretty big problem” for shelters. However, you can still help your nearby kitten family. You can leave out food and water or even build them a new shelter, like filling a styrofoam cooler with straw to make a new waterproof home.
Obviously, if the kittens look to be in poor health and you’re fairly certain the mother is permanently absent, contact your local shelter for help.
Keep Your Local TNR Program in Mind
The best way to make kitten season easier for everyone is to spay and neuter indoor and outdoor cats alike. It will prevent future kittens and, generally, allow cats to live healthier lives.
Cats can be neutered or spayed when they’re about 2 months old, so if you still have a small family of kittens near you and you think the babies are old enough, contact your local shelter to see if it has a trap-neuter-return (TNR) program. It can take in the cats, spay and neuter them, and return them back to their outdoor homes where they’re used to living. A good TNR program will also reduce the spread of disease as altered cats are no longer seeking out mates or fights.
Think About Fostering
Along with the shelter, a foster home is one of the best, safest places a months old kitten can live. Shelters will need room during the height of kitten season, and more foster homes can help with that. Members of the public providing care allows shelter staff to attend to the animals who need more serious help.
It’s also an ideal option for someone who might not be ready for a full-time pet yet or someone who has a few months free of other responsibilities, therefore having the necessary time to feed and care for the kittens. If you’re interested in becoming a kitten foster home, contact your local shelter for more information and to sign up.
Give Money To Your Shelter or Rescue Organization
Caring for animals is expensive. When you give shelters or rescues money, they can decide where it’s needed most.
#AdoptDon’tShop
Have your heart set on a lovey, orange kitten? It’s a sure bet your local shelter has one. Or two. Or three.
These next few months are when you’ll have the most selection of kittens to bring home, including ones who are well socialized and ones who might need a little time to warm up to us humans. Remember, you might want to think about getting two kittens, that way they’ll each have a friend for exercise, play, and enrichment when you’re not around.
First time adopting a cat? Great news: Your local shelter personnel can walk you through the process.
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Photo Credit: Alena Ozerova / Shutterstock.com