Kitten season is here, and your local shelter is probably overwhelmed with trying to care for them. Unfortunately, having so many kittens at once can cause a lot of problems – so what can you do to help?
How to Foster a Kitten
Do you have room in your home to help temporarily care for kittens until they’re able to be adopted by a new family? Reach out to your local rescue or shelter and let them know what you can handle. Kittens can range from newborns needing to be fed on a strict schedule, to kittens that are a little older that won’t require so much hands-on attention.
Send Money or Kitten Care Items
If you don’t have room in your home – and that’s okay, consider donating to your local shelter to help them with overkeep. Cat litter and food aren’t cheap, and they use a lot of it. You can also donate cat supplies, such as carriers and toys, or old blankets and towels you may no longer have use for.
What to Do if You Find Homeless Kittens
During this time of year, it isn’t uncommon to find kittens when you least expect it. First of all, make sure the kitten/kittens are safe. If they’re in a location that isn’t safe, you should relocate them to your home if possible. If they seem safe, wait a little while to see if their mother arrives – the best thing you can do is to try rescuing them with their mother.
Reach out to your local shelter for advice if the mother isn’t easily captured – they might be able to lend you a humane trap or give you other ideas about how to best secure the mother cat and kittens. They may even come out to try capturing them themselves.
The best thing you can do is offer to foster the kittens yourself, and let the shelter help find them new homes. If you cannot foster, call around to see which shelters and rescues might have room for them.
Even if you end up having to call animal control, that can sometimes be a better solution than having the kittens fend for themselves. Cats without homes don’t tend to do well in the wild for very long, and this way they might at least get a chance at a better life.
Just research your local animal control centers to see who seems to be putting the most effort towards the animals in their care. You can also call local rescues to get their advice about where your found kittens can be safest.
Don’t Forget About the Older Cats!
A sad truth about kitten season is that it often means the older cats will be overlooked. While the kittens obviously need a good home themselves, if you’re looking to adopt, make sure to also browse the older crowd. You’ll never know who might pull at your heartstrings the hardest.
