Kitten season is on its way! Starting from March and going into October, kitten season is the time of year when rescues see the greatest influx of pregnant cats and kittens. We’ve talked before about kitten season and its impact, year after year, on communities around the country. As cute as it sounds, what kitten season really means is that shelters and rescues, who are already overwhelmed with the amount of cats in their care, are stretched even thinner as they try to take on all the extra litters born. With over three million cats entering shelters around the country every year, think about just how busy a time that makes kitten season! Most rescues are already strained when it comes to resources and space, so no matter how much we prepare, it never feels like enough. On top of that, pregnant cats and newborn kittens require even more supplies and care than the average cat.
With kitten season just around the corner, Ten Lives would like to ask for help from our community so that we can continue to find loving forever homes for cats this upcoming kitten season. Read on to learn what you can do to help during this busy time of year.
A significant portion of our funds are spent on supplies, and this time of year we could really use donations of goods to get us through.
Wet cat food is in huge demand around here, especially canned kitten food—have you ever seen a litter of kittens at lunchtime? Pregnant cats, too, eat a lot of food!
Our foster cats go through litter like it’s going out of style. They would greatly appreciate some donations of litter so their boxes can stay nice and clean (and the floor can continue to be covered in the litter they fling outside their boxes).
Scales to weigh kittens (and make sure they’re gaining properly and are healthy) are incredibly useful, too. These are generally common kitchen scales that measure in ounces. We would also appreciate pet friendly warming pads, puppy liners for birthing and nursing on, and towels, blankets, and beds.
You can check out our Amazon wishlist for an up-to-date list of items we need most. If you would like to donate items in person, please email (hello.tenlives@gmail.com). Of course, monetary donations are also greatly appreciated.
If you have room in your heart and home, consider applying to adopt a Ten Lives cat! Every cat adopted frees up a space for more cats in need, especially those who have been with us a long time and haven’t yet found their perfect forever home.
We are always looking for new fosters! As a foster-based rescue with no physical shelter, we need as many cat-loving fosters as we can get. We can only take in as many cats as our foster volunteers have room for, and particularly around kitten season, we find ourselves stretched thin when it comes to foster homes. All you need is a spare room and some spare time to help cats! Don’t worry—you won’t be given a full litter of kittens if you aren’t comfortable taking on that responsibility just yet; but even fostering a single cat frees up space in another’s home for, say, a pregnant cat. We also have an amazing group of volunteers who can help you adjust and learn as you foster. Our application can be found here.
If you can’t foster but would still like to help Ten Lives Cat Rescue in another way, please apply here to become a volunteer!
If you see a stray litter of kittens in your area, please don’t take them if you’re unsure where their mother is! Newborn kittens have a very low survival rate without their mother, even with around-the-clock care. If you see a pregnant cat, kittens, or any other cat in need, please contact Ten Lives Cat Rescue or your local rescue group or TNR group for help.