Kitten Season: What It Means and How You Can Help

The weather is heating up and this means one of the most hectic seasons for rescue groups is in swing – kitten season! This is the time of year when there is an influx of kittens into shelters, where most struggle to manage with their limited resources and staff. Read on to find out more about kitten season and how you can help during this time.

What Is Kitten Season?

During the warmer season between spring to autumn, female cats start going into ‘heat’ and breed with multiple males. A queen (female cat) can have kittens from as young as 4 months old and produce 2 litters each season. This quickly adds up if every cat produces kittens – in 2021, the RSPCA NSW took in 9000 kittens!

Why Kitten Season Is a Challenge for Shelters

Kitten season is a busy time for shelters that are always relying heavily on volunteers and donations from the community in order to supply the food, medical care and foster homes that these kittens need.

How Foster Care Saves Lives

The chaos and noise in shelters can be stressful for kittens and adult cats. During this time, foster carers play an important role in caring for these kittens outside of a shelter environment. Kittens can grow, play and get plenty of cuddles in a safe place to prepare them to be adopted out into loving homes. This also means that shelters and rescue groups will be able to take in more animals to help them get re-homed.

How You Can Make a Difference

Want to discover how you can help with kitten season? You don’t have to be experienced, just willing to support your local community.

Desex Your Cats

Since female cats can become pregnant as young as 4 months of age, de-sexing is the best way to manage the overpopulation of kittens in the long run. De-sexing your cat can also have numerous benefits for their general health, such as:

Lower risk of mammary tumours and infections in the uterus for females
Reduces aggression in male cats
Reduces the likelihood of testicular cancer in male cats

It is never too late to de-sex your cat, speak to your veterinarian. Local shelters and rescue groups may also have low cost cat de-sexing that you can access.

Volunteer as a Foster Carer

If you love animals and happy to open your home to adoptable kittens, consider becoming a foster carer. Foster carers are usually supplied with food, litter and vet care included so all you need to do is provide a supportive environment for kittens to play and grow. The experience is a rewarding one and flexible based on your circumstances.

Want to learn more about fostering? Get in touch with your local cat rescue near you for more details on the fostering process – we have a list of rescue groups below.

Help Stray Cats in Your Community

The streets are a dangerous place for cats, where they can be run over by cars, attacked or contract diseases. If you find stray kittens, don’t automatically assume that mum isn’t around. Watch them for a distance as mumma cat might have just gone off to find food – only move kittens if they are in danger or visibly injured. Either relocate them to a safe place or bring them to a vet who will be able to provide you with advice.

Make a difference to support your local rescue groups

Ready to support your local rescue groups during this extremely busy time of year? We have listed cat rescues in NSW and Victoria below which you can contact about becoming a foster carer or volunteer. If you’re a rescue group looking to reach a wider audience, consider having a chat with us about opportunities to showcase your group at our Cat Lovers Festival!