It is Kitten Season at Shelters - Here is How to Help

Photo Credit: Larissa Barbosa from Pexels

Animal shelters throughout South Africa are starting to share their kittens up for adoption; kitten season overwhelms every year so this is how you can help.

South Africa (03 February 2023) – It is kitten season at shelters across South Africa which means the teams will soon be overrun by unwanted litters. Even if you are not able to adopt, these are some of the ways to help the teams cope with the sudden rise in mouths to feed.

If you follow animal welfare organisations, you will see their kitten adoption folders bursting with new babies all looking for a forever home. The reality is, many of these kittens will outgrow that cute fluffy phase before they are adopted out. That doesn’t mean we can’t shower them with love until they find their forever homes.

There are several ways you can assist your local animal welfare.

Adopt – If you have the means to adopt a kitten, now is your chance. You can be even more awesome and adopt two so they have a best friend for life!
Play – If you can’t adopt, volunteer your time to go and play with the kittens. Social kittens that love humans are way more likely to be adopted than scared or nervous kittens.
Feed – Lots of little mouths to feed means extra food is needed. You can donate some kitten food, kibble and wet, to your local shelter.
Spay – If you have the means, you can donate towards helping the shelter spay its unadopted kittens. Kittens can only be spayed after they are six months old, so many that are still at the shelter by that time will need to be spayed. The expense for those that are adopted out is covered in the adoption fee.
Toys – Kittens are full of energy so if you have any cat toys going unused, the kittens will love them!
Shots – Kittens, like all pets, will need to have all their vaccinations and dewormers, so you can also donate towards that cost.
Foster – If you have the ability and time, some shelters welcome foster parents for kittens. To check if you qualify, give them a call.
Save – There will be many kittens that are abandoned which is devastating! If you notice kittens that have been dumped, call your local animal welfare immediately.