April 30, 2025.
Spring is in the air – and that means kitten season is too! At Gateway Pet Guardians, we are preparing for the annual arrival of hundreds of tiny, wobbly, wide-eyed kittens who need our community’s support.
While kitten season brings an explosion of adorable faces and fluffy tails, it also comes with real challenges. Animal shelters and rescue organizations like Gateway quickly become overwhelmed, working around the clock to help vulnerable kittens survive and thrive.
According to Best Friends Animal Society, Best Friends Network partners took in nearly 253,000 kittens during kitten season in 2017 alone (Best Friends Animal Society, 2018). That’s hundreds of thousands of tiny lives depending on humans to make the right choices – and sometimes, the best way to help isn’t what you might think.
When you find a litter of kittens outdoors, your first instinct might be to scoop them up and bring them to a shelter. But unless the kittens are clearly in distress, the best thing to do is wait and watch.
Most of the time, the mother cat is nearby, searching for food or hiding from humans. Removing healthy kittens from their environment can actually do more harm than good, separating them from their best chance of survival.
Neonatal kittens – those under four weeks old – need constant care that their mothers are best equipped to provide. Best Friends Animal Society reminds us that neonatal kittens cannot survive on their own and require intensive care if separated too early (Best Friends Animal Society, 2018).
So how do you know what to do? If the kittens look clean, chubby, and content, it’s a good sign that mom is around. We encourage you to observe quietly from a distance for several hours. If mom returns, she’s doing her job – and the best thing you can do is let her continue to care for her babies. If the kittens are dirty, thin, crying nonstop, or if no mom appears after an extended period, that’s when it’s time to reach out for help.
You can contact Gateway Pet Guardians, and we’ll guide you on the next steps to make sure the kittens get the care they need.
Fostering plays a huge role during kitten season. Without enough foster homes, kittens without mothers may not survive. Fosters provide warmth, bottle feeding, and socialization until the kittens are old enough to be adopted.
By becoming a foster with Gateway Pet Guardians, you’re giving these fragile lives a fighting chance. Plus, you’re helping to ease the burden on our shelter and giving the kittens a loving environment where they can grow strong and healthy.
The good news is that compassionate community action is making a difference. In 2024, Best Friends Animal Society reported that the number of cats and kittens killed in U.S. shelters dropped to 188,000, a 10.5% decrease from the previous year (Best Friends Animal Society, 2024). Thanks to more education, fostering, TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) programs, and better public awareness, more kittens are surviving kitten season than ever before – but there’s still more work to be done.
This kitten season, Gateway Pet Guardians is asking for your help:
- Observe before acting when you find outdoor kittens.
- Become a foster — even short-term fostering saves lives.
- Support our TNR efforts to prevent future litters.
- Donate supplies like kitten formula, heating pads, and blankets.
- Volunteer your time to help feed, clean, and transport kittens. You can learn about all our different volunteer opportunities by coming to a volunteer orientation.
- Spread the word about what to do when finding kittens.
Kitten season is one of nature’s sweetest gifts – filled with tiny purrs, playful pounces, and endless potential. With a little patience, compassion, and community action, we can turn this busy season into one of hope and happiness for every tiny kitten that crosses our path.
Ready to make a difference? Sign up to foster, volunteer, or support Gateway Pet Guardians. To foster, email placement@gatewaypets.org or come to one of our upcoming volunteer orientations to learn more!