It’s springtime, and with the spring and summer seasons also comes Kitten Season. That’s right, kittens do have a season, a time of the year when there is a sharp rise in the number of litters born. The rescues, shelters, and alleys become inundated with sweet furry babies who need a home.

The Cold Fact is…

As adorable as kittens are, many will never know what it’s like to have a loving home, enough food to eat, or to feel warm and safe. Most won’t live to see their 5th birthday if left outside, or even their 1st birthday if surrendered to a shelter.

Did you know that just 1 pair of cats left unaltered can produce upwards of 420,000 kittens in just 7 years! Cats go into heat every few weeks until mating occurs, and a queen can carry the offspring of many males at the same time. Gestation is a short 63 days, and they can go back into heat while still nursing their kittens. Shockingly, kittens as young as 4 months of age can go into heat and become pregnant!

If you take it out to year 8, the figure is even more staggering! Over 2 MILLION kittens could result from just one un-spayed female and her offspring!

Spay and Neuter Will Stop This Cycle

Many local rescues and humane societies hold free and low-cost spay and neuter events. A simple Google search will help you to find them in your area. Many can also assist you with the cost of getting your cats spayed and neutered. Not only will you prevent hundreds of unwanted kittens from being sent to the shelters – spaying and neutering will also help your cat to avoid health issues such as mammary tumors or prostate cancer.

You Can Help The Cats Who Are Waiting For Homes

If you’ve ever considered opening your home to a frisky feline or two, now is the perfect time to visit your local shelter. I know it can be hard to walk into a shelter, but those are the animals that need to find loving homes as quickly as possible.

And please, don’t forget “Yesterday’s Kittens” who are now young adults. There are plenty of wonderful adult cats who need and deserve to have a loving home. But often they aren’t given a second look once the newest batch of kittens arrives.

Yesterday’s Kittens Are Often Forgotten

Some of the cats at the shelters are young adults “left over” from last year’s kittens. These cats are the ones who weren’t lucky enough to get adopted. Others are cats who were surrendered by owners for any number of reasons. And more often than not, it is NOT a behavioral issue at play. These cats crave to again have the love and companionship of a human and to have a home again.

Slightly older kittens are often the PURRfect companions for busy households that don’t have the time or energy that tiny kittens require. They’re also a good match for older adults who don’t want to deal with the high energy of a tiny kitten.

Spay, Neuter, and Adopt

Whether you chose to adopt a kitten, a cat, or one of each, your feline friends will thank you. Give them a cozy place to live and special place on your bed, as well as inside your heart.

And PLEASE – Spay and Neuter your feline friends!