By Brianna Hansen
As the weather warms, animal shelters across the country brace for an annual springtime surge known as “kitten season.” It sounds adorable, but kitten season also brings serious challenges for animal welfare organizations like Humane Animal Partners (HAP), who care for a flood of newborn kittens born to unspayed, free-roaming cats.
Each year, from early spring through late fall, thousands of kittens arrive in shelters, many of them orphaned or separated from their mothers. These tiny babies require around-the-clock care — bottle feeding, medical attention, and hands-on socialization — before they’re ready for adoption. The sheer volume can be overwhelming, especially when you consider that one unspayed female cat and her offspring can produce up to 5,000 kittens in just seven years!
That’s why spaying and neutering is so important. Preventing future litters reduces shelter overcrowding and helps ensure better outcomes for the animals already in shelter care. Local organizations like HAP and Faithful Friends Animal Society work year-round to offer low-cost and accessible spay/neuter services, but during kitten season, the need skyrockets.
If you come across kittens outside, your first instinct might be to bring them in — but pause before you act. If the kittens are clean, warm, and appear fed, their mother is likely nearby, possibly out searching for food. It’s best to observe from a distance for a few hours. If she doesn’t return, or the kittens seem sick, cold, or in danger, reach out to a local shelter or rescue group for guidance. They can help determine the best course of action or connect you with foster or intake resources.
Speaking of fosters, caring for newborn kittens is a big commitment, which is why kitten season relies heavily on foster volunteers! These amazing individuals provide temporary homes where kittens can grow and thrive in a safe, nurturing environment until they’re ready for adoption. Fosters are truly lifesavers — but they’re not the only way to make an impact.
If you can’t foster, you can still support kitten season efforts in meaningful ways. Donating supplies like kitten formula, heating pads, bottles, and soft baby blankets goes a long way. Or consider attending a fundraising event — like HAP’s Designer Bag Bingo on May 15 in Wilmington! Every bingo card helps provide food, vaccines, and lifesaving care to kittens (and pups) in need.
Learn more about kitten season, sign up to foster, donate, or grab you tickets to Designer Bag Bingo at HumaneAnimalPartners.org.
– Look for the this month’s Humane Animal Partners (HAP) sponsored by Tito’s Handmade Vodka featured adoptable pets in the print version of this month’s issue, linked here.
