Kitten Season Is Upon Us

Kitten season is sneaking up! According to Best Friends Animal Society, a leading animal welfare organization working to end the killing of cats and dogs in America’s shelters by 2025, more than 23,000 cats and kittens are brought into animal shelters throughout the greater Houston area typically during the time between March and October—enough to fill every seat in Shell Energy Stadium—home to the Houston Dynamo team.

Kerry McKeel, Regional Communications Strategist, Best Friends Animal Society® BestFriends.org

So, what do you do if you happen upon a litter of tiny kittens outdoors? It’s natural to want to scoop them up and try to care for them yourself or take them to a shelter, but both of those options, based on their age and stage, may actually place them in more danger. Plus, most shelters don’t have the time, space, or staff to attend to the critical needs of young kittens.

The best thing to do for healthy kittens is to leave them with their mother, who is often nearby planning to return and care for her babies. If the kittens are in danger due to their location, move them to a safer spot nearby so the mom can easily find them when she returns.

If you have found kittens and you are sure the mother is not returning for them, follow these steps:

» If the kittens are visibly sick or injured, seek veterinary attention immediately from a local veterinarian or the nearest animal shelter.

» For healthy kittens with no mother consider temporarily fostering them until they are old enough to be adopted. Resources including guidance on caring for kittens, low-cost veterinary and spay/neuter services in the area and information on how to become a foster with a local Houston foster program can be found on Best Friends in Houston’s Found Kitten resource page http://bfas.org/Houstonfoundkittens.

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