What You Should Know About Kitten Season (And How to Help)
Spring may bring sunshine and wildflowers, but it also signals the start of something else entirely: kitten season. Beginning as early as March and lasting through the fall, this is the time of year when unspayed cats across the country begin giving birth—often to multiple litters. As you can imagine, that means a huge influx of kittens into shelters and rescues.
At Valley Humane Society, kitten season is joyfully active. Playful pounces, curious noses, and endless entertainment? Absolutely. But also—growing appetites, limited space, and a strong need for community support to help young felines thrive. Here’s what we think every animal lover should know.
What is kitten season?
Kitten season refers to the time of year when outdoor cats tend to give birth, usually triggered by warmer weather and longer daylight hours. Cats can get pregnant as young as five months of age, and often have multiple litters per year—meaning the number of kittens can multiply very quickly.
For organizations like Valley Humane, kitten season brings dozens of tiny arrivals who need loving foster homes, medical care, and a little extra support to thrive. It’s a wonderfully busy time that calls for additional resources to meet the growing need.
What should I do if I find kittens?
This is one of the most common—and most important—questions we get. While your instinct may be to scoop them up and bring them to the shelter, the best thing to do is to leave them alone because they’re already home.
If the kittens look clean, quiet, and healthy, there’s a good chance their mother is nearby. Young kittens have a much better chance of survival if they stay with their mom until weaning age (about 6 weeks). Unless kittens are visibly sick, injured, cold, or alone for many hours, it’s best to leave them be and check back later.
How can I help during kitten season?
There are many ways to get involved and make a real difference:
- Foster a litter (or even just one kitten!). We provide the supplies and training—you provide the love and a safe space. Sign up for an upcoming foster families workshop to get started.
- Adopt an adult cat. Kittens may fly out the door, but our wonderful adult cats need loving homes too.
- Consider adopting a pair of kittens! Two kittens are better than one—not only do they grow up with a lifelong playmate, they also pick up important social skills—like how to play nice. Kittens adopted together learn how to be good cats from each other.
- Spread the word. Share Valley Humane’s adoptable animals, fundraisers, and volunteer opportunities with your friends and family.
Let’s talk prevention
The truth is, kitten season is preventable—and spay/neuter is key. A single unspayed cat can result in hundreds of kittens in just a few years. Preventing these unintended litters reduces the number of homeless animals, and frees up space and resources for cats who already need help.
Valley Humane’s Phil Scholz Veterinary Surgery Center offers spay/neuter services for felines at least 4 months old and 4 lbs in weight. Make sure your cats are “fixed;” Book an appointment today and help prevent future kitten seasons!
Prevention in community cat populations through TNR
TNR (trap, neuter, release) is a humane and effective method for managing feral or community cat populations. Once trapped, cats are spayed or neutered and returned to their original territory. Cats’ ears are tipped while they are under anesthesia to easily identify them as being fixed.
Valley Humane’s Phil Scholz Veterinary Surgery Center maintains a limited number of appointments for community cat surgeries starting at $100/cat. Learn more about availability, pricing, and how to get started.
Kitten season is a team effort
It takes a village to care for vulnerable kittens, and that’s where animal lovers like you come in! Whether opening your home to a foster animal, donating supplies from one of Valley Humane’s wish lists, or sharing a post on social media—your efforts save lives. And for that, we’re incredibly grateful.