Even a global pandemic could not stop Kitten Season from coming. It’s the time of year when shelters across the country are filled to capacity with litters of unwanted felines. When the weather is warmer, cats are out roaming and reproducing at a faster pace than during milder seasons. Many shelters are seeing the impact of this problem, which leads to extremely overcrowded conditions and often euthanasia.
Did You Know…?
Cats reproduce at an alarming rate. An un-spayed female cat and her mate can be the start of a feline dynasty that could produce over 11,000 kittens in less than 10 years.
Littermates Can Litter. Some people keep two or more littermates, not realizing that they can breed. If you have two young cats of opposite sex, remember to alter them by five months of age. If not, you may soon have litters of kittens on your hands.
Babies Can Have Babies. A cat can have her first litter at just five months old. With an average litter of four kittens, that means five more responsible, loving homes must be found!
There are additional benefits to spaying/neutering your cat. Besides preventing unwanted litters, altered cats have less desire to roam making them more agreeable house cats. Spayed females have a reduced risk of mammary gland tumors, and ovarian or uterine cancer. Altered males are less likely to spray and mark their territory, and risk of testicular cancer is eliminated.
Sponsor the Nursery
Our nursery is filling up with newborn kittens and their moms — but because of COVID-19, our resources are dangerously low. Would you consider sponsoring our nursery? Our donation will help ensure these families are cared for. Families like Mama Joy and her newborns.
Mama Joy came to us as a very pregnant young stray cat. Almost as soon as she arrived, she began nesting and had four beautiful babies, two boys and two girls. Thanks to mom’s expert care, and the generous support of our nursery, these youngsters have grown up healthy and strong – and today have loving, responsible homes of their own!
But Mama Joy, quite young herself, remains. Our staff is working with her to help her become comfortable with new people, in the hope that one day she’ll find herself in a new home, too. Right now, we need all the extra help we can get to give families like these what they need to thrive.
The Heartbreak of Kitten Season
Every year millions of kittens are born during kitten season in the U.S. alone. No matter how many people adopt, there could never be enough responsible, loving homes for so many…plus all those sweet adult cats in need of a second chance. Sadly, this means millions of adoptable cats and kittens will die in overcrowded shelters, on busy streets and highways, and from abuse and abandonment.
But the good news is this: It doesn’t have to be this way. So much of the heartbreak of kitten season is preventable through spay/neuter. It’s the first step in overcoming pet overpopulation. When even a single cat is spayed or neutered we’re preventing the suffering of thousands of animals.
SpayUSA®: Spread the Word
When friends say they can’t afford spay/neuter…or they don’t know where to start…tell them they can afford it, and they can start right here, at North Shore Animal League America’s SpayUSA.
SpayUSA is a nationwide network and referral service offering affordable spay/neuter services to the general public. In addition to spay/neuter, we also provide tons of information about other options, too; including mobile clinics, trap/neuter/release programs, as well as private and state-funded voucher programs. Visit spayusa.org to learn more.
