Kitten season is underway, shelters expect influx of babies

SENECA, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - Animal and kitten shelters are preparing for an influx of babies coming through their doors as the weather heats up.

These next few months can overwhelm some shelters, but there are things you can do to help.

“When the weather gets warm, kittens get born,” said Oconee Humane Society Kitten Foster Coordinator Shelley Terrell.

At the Oconee Humane Society, over 400 kittens and their moms come to the shelter each year.

“Shelters everywhere are usually overwhelmed, working at capacity,” explained Terrell.

The spring, summer, and fall are known as Kitten Season. The time when most babies are born.

“A female cat can get pregnant at four months old. So that’s when they start breeding, and once they start it just keeps going,” said Terrell.

In a year, one female cat can have around 12 kittens.

Over the next four years, that cat and her babies can have, in theory, over 2,000 kittens, and in eight years, that number could be more than 2,000,000.

That’s why having foster families is crucial.

“It feels great, and I wish there was even more that I could do to help,” said Hannah Smith.

Smith already has two cats and is now fostering her first kitten.

“This cat actually found us, she kind of wandered into our yard, so I called the shelter, and they said that they would give us everything we need,” she said.

In addition to fostering, Terrell says the best thing you can do if you have a cat is to get them spayed or neutered.

“Getting them fixed is very important. There’s just not enough good homes out there, and we want to make sure they all get good homes,” she said.

If you see any kittens in your yard or near your property, look for the mom.

If you don’t see the mom, call your local shelter for help.

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