Everyone knows kittens are adorable, but there’s a lot more to them than cuddles and fluff. Lucky for you, we’re the leading experts on all things cats, and we’ve got 10 things you just have to know about kittens.
1. Most kittens are born in spring, and “kitten season” is the cutest time of year!
But it can also be dangerous for kittens, with more and more kittens needing our help. We have resources to help people who find kittens outdoors. Learn how to help them at alleycat.org/kittens
2. Kittens get the best care from their mother.
If you find kittens outside, know that mom is probably close by. If you have the time and resources, you can humanely trap mom and kittens and foster them. You can socialize the kittens for adoption and find mom a home too, if she’s friendly. If mom is not friendly, she should be spayed and returned to her outdoor home. If you’re unable to foster kittens, then you can help them by monitoring mom and kittens outside and then have them all trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and returned, when it’s time. See more at alleycat.org/MomAndKittens
3. Petting a cute kitten could help with your stress and anxiety.
People with cats have lower blood pressure and stroke risk and are even 30 percent less likely to have a heart attack.
4. It takes some practice, but just by looking at a kitten and observing their behavior you can tell how old they are.
Knowing how old a kitten is can help you determine what care they need: The difference between knowing when a kitten must be bottle-fed or when they can start solid food, for example. Check out our adorable kitten progression guide to see pictures of kittens at each stage of their development. alleycat.org/KittenProgression
5. Kittens aren’t born cuddly.
They need to be socialized to people (and other pets!) to know they’re safe to trust. The great news is that socializing kittens is a lot of fun and involves petting, playing, and feeding! The best time to socialize kittens is when they’re young; after they’re eight weeks old it gets tricky. Learn all the tips and tricks to socializing kittens at alleycat.org/Socialization
6. A person is more likely to post a picture of a cat or kitten online than any other animal.
You can visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to see pictures of of our office cats (like Oliver, above!), community cats across the nation, and cats we meet through our advocacy efforts.
7. It’s safe to spay or neuter a kitten who is 2 months old or weighs 2 lbs, whichever comes first.
This is important because kittens can start having kittens of their own as soon as they’re four months old. Learn more about spaying kittens as soon as they’re ready at alleycat.org/SpayNeuter
8. We hate to tell you, but even kittens are killed in shelters.
Many people think bringing unweaned kittens to their local shelter is the best thing to do, but nationwide 70 percent of all cats brought to shelters are killed. Neonatal kittens need special, around-the-clock care that most shelters don’t have the resources to provide, which means they’re nearly always killed. Young kittens who are too young to be vaccinated are also at risk of getting sick and dying in shelters.
9. There’s a whole movement dedicated to saving cats and kittens.
It can be tough for kittens out there, but there are compassionate, dedicated people working to help them. More and more shelters are embracing humane programs, like fostering and Trap-Neuter-Return, that keep kittens and cats out of shelters altogether. Rescue and animal welfare groups, and millions of compassionate individuals are stepping up and doing great work to save even more cats’ and kittens’ lives. We’re proud to be a part of the movement to save cats, leading the way since we were founded in 1990!
10. Kittens are awesome!
Bet you knew this one! But keep in mind, these cuties are vulnerable and need our help. Whether they’re pet purebred kittens or hissy feral babies, all cats deserve our care and protection. That’s why Alley Cat Allies is here.