Kitten season is upon us in Central Texas, which indicates thousands — yes, thousands — of kittens will be born outdoors over the next couple of months. Austin shelters are already taking in a record variety of small cats, and they desire you to understand how you can help.
Wait. There’s a season of … kittens?
Yes. Cats breed just in the warm months and since we reside in Texas, those warm months extend from March to October — a lot longer than northern locations. And this year’s kitten season is off to roaring start.
The city’s 3 primary animal shelters — Austin Animal Center, Austin Pets Alive and Austin Humane Society —each take in hundreds, if not thousands, of young kittens needing vital care throughout kitten season. Each are reporting considerably greater consumption up until now this year.
Last year, for instance, Austin Pets Alive took in an approximated 2,300 kittens. This year, it’s already generated 700 up until now.
Austin Animal Center intakes about 2,000 kittens per season and is dealing with the exact same uptick.
“We have already gotten in 250 kittens under 2 months old this year,” a representative for the Austin Animal Center said in an email. “And we are just about to start the really busy part of the season.”
Austin Humane Society, which took in 1,400 kittens in 2015, explains that as the environment remains warmer longer, the kitten season keeps extending, putting more pressure on the shelter systems.
Look, kittens!
So, with an approximated 5,000 kittens forecasted to be born outdoors in Austin this year, you might discover some tiny furballs in your community. And, yes, it will be appealing, however shelter staff alerts to reconsider prior to choosing them up or bringing them inside.
Jennifer Parks, who runs the neonatal kitten foster program at Austin Pets Alive, says it’s not always hazardous for kittens to be born outside. Mama cats are rather smart about setting their infants up in safe locations and the kittens are most likely OK.
“One thing to look for is the condition of the kittens. If they look clean and they don’t look skinny, they probably have a mom somewhere nearby,” Parks said.
Kittens are a lot more most likely to endure if they are kept with their mother till they are weaned around 6 weeks of age.
“If you pick up the kittens and bring them into the shelter, not only will those kittens lose their mom and enter the shelter system, the mom cat will lose her kittens,” Parks said.
Austin Humane Society provides this Found Kitten Flowchart to guide you if you discover a stack of cats. And if the kittens are undoubtedly abandoned or hurt, you can connect to any of the 3 shelters for assistance or call 311.
How else can you help
As the nation’s largest no-kill city, Austin’s shelters work year-round to save and rehome animals. Kitten season contributes to the pressure.
Young kittens are the most susceptible animals to cycle through the shelter systems, and they need extensive care.
There are numerous methods you can help.
Foster
All 3 shelters require fosters. Austin Pets Alive explains that it took more than 400 fosters to aid with kitten season in 2015.
While cultivating kittens can appear frustrating, the shelter groups use resources, consisting of materials and continuous veterinary care. Famed web kitten rescuer, Hannah Shaw aka the Kitten Lady, likewise releases an encyclopedia of foster tutorials on her website.
Kittens can be embraced around 8 weeks old, so you won’t be cultivating for too long. Once the kittens are supported to adoption age, they’ll likely get embraced quickly. Austin Humane Society says adoptable kittens stay at the shelter typically less than 2 days.
Donate
Young kittens need day-and-night care and unique materials to endure. Here are the shelters’ kitten season wishlists:
Each of the shelters likewise takes financial contributions — all the time, everyday.
Adopt
Once kittens are old enough, they are purified or neutered, immunized and prepared for their brand-new permanently houses. Adoptable kittens are available at each shelter and at unique occasions such as the AHS Kitten Shower.
Shelters constantly require volunteers. Volunteer details is available on their sites.
Trap-neuter-return
Austin is home to countless roaming or free-roaming cats. These “community cats” live outdoors in nests and are frequently not mingled to human beings.
Austin Humane Society, in collaboration with the Austin Animal Center, leads the city’s TNR efforts. Through the program, neighborhood cats are caught, disinfected and immunized, and after that went back to their areas.
Austinites can take part in the program by leasing traps from the Austin Humane Society and taking neighborhood cats to the center for sanitation. There is no fee for the services. And if you see a roaming cat with a suggestion clipped off its ear, understand it has actually already been through the TNR program.
Spaying and neutering cats not just minimizes illness and rowdy feline habits, it likewise avoids overpopulated shelters. And when it pertains to kitten season, avoidance is essential.
