Springtime is here with light showers, blooming flowers, and kitten encounters!
Kitten season is the time of year when there is an increase in kittens born among community cats who aren’t spayed and neutered, and when the most kittens enter the shelter. Read on to learn the many ways YOU can help kittens this season, and always!
1. Don’t Kitnap Kittens
We know it’s tempting to scoop up a baby kitten, but the best chance for their survival is to let mom care for her babies. If you want to help a mother cat feel safe and comfortable, you can provide her access to shelter, regular food and water, and give her space to care for her little ones.
Sometimes mother cats will leave their babies for hours at a time but it is likely that she is nearby. If there is no sign of mom after several hours, then you can get involved if you are willing to care for the kittens. You can contact JHS at [email protected] for support and resources.
This chart demonstrates what to do if you encounter kittens. If the kittens are social and appear to be 6-8 weeks of age, you can help by finding homes for them without bringing them to the shelter.
2. Become a Foster Parent
Foster parents are essential in saving young kitten lives by volunteering their home, time, and love. Kittens have the best chance at surviving and thriving in foster homes outside the shelter. By opening your heart and home you make it possible for them to have the life they deserve!
JHS provides the veterinary care, resources, and food you need to care for foster kittens until they are old enough to find a permanent home. You also get the option to adopt a kitten in your care if you find that your home and heart are the best fit!
Learn more about fostering here. Sign up here to become a foster parent!
If you cannot foster kittens for an extended period of time, you can become a foster first responder and provide lifesaving support on a short-term basis. Foster first responders care for our tiniest kittens overnight and return them to JHS the next day. Text @jhsfos8 to 81010 to sign up.
3. Kitten Wishlist and Donations
You can provide must-needed kitten care items by donating through our kitten wishlist! These are essential supplies, like kitten milk replacement (KMR) formula and special bottles, that we use daily. When you purchase an item from the kitten wishlist, it will be delivered directly to JHS and be put to use saving kitten lives immediately. Be sure to mark that the purchase is a gift so that we can send you a thank you!
You can also drop off donations in the large bins outside the JHS Adoption & Education Center and Pet Help Center any time JHS is open. Your donations save lives!
Monetary donations are another way of supporting kittens in need. Your donations make it possible to provide lifesaving treatment and compassionate care to the thousands of kittens that enter our shelter each year. Send a gift here.
4. Volunteer at JHS
Volunteering at JHS is a great way to make a paw-sitive impact in a pet’s life! You can help kittens at JHS as a cat care and enrichment volunteer, or support foster parents as a foster office volunteer. Sign up for these volunteer opportunities and more here.