Kitten Season

We often reference "kitten season" many are not familiar with this term. Kitten season is a time period from spring to fall where many cats give birth, flooding animal shelters and rescues with homeless kittens. It peaks in the early summer, so we are about to be right at its peak. Basically, the warm weather coincides with female cats' heat cycles. Pregnancy for cats is 8.5 weeks from conception. We place kittens up for adoptions at 8 weeks of age (sometimes they can be pre-adopted!).

How does GHS address kitten season? Both proactively and retroactively.

• Proactively---we seek to reduce the number of unwanted cats by actively promoting spay/neuter through support and assistance to low-cost clinics.
• Retroactively---we try to rescue as many litters as we can from high-kill shelters, abandonment, and owner surrender. We organize transports to help move animals away from high-kill counties and into areas where they have a better chance of adoption. GHS has a policy where we always rescue the mother with the kittens. Many times the mothers will be instantly killed once their kittens have been adopted or removed.

Kitten season puts a huge strain on us. Our adoption center is jammed packed with kittens, our fosters are full, and we receive calls and emails about hundreds of kittens we simply cannot rescue. It's tough knowing you can't save them all and that the majority will not make it. The lack of resource, space, and money to take care of kittens during this time is so stretched all across the country, many kittens are killed without even given a chance.

It's hurts adult cats too, because they are often overlooked by potential adopters when there are kittens are around. Many people would rather rescue a kitten, even though they require much more training and attention. It's easier for most organizations to find home for kittens rather than adults, and the adult cats suffer for it. Luckily, GHS rotates our adult cats in and out of foster care so they don't get overwhelemed at our adoption center. At the first sign of stress, we take them back to a love home to give them a break and hope we can get them adopted via the internet!

The risk of illness often increases during this time. Crowded kennels means that disease can spread almost instantaneously. The biggest problem is upper respiratory infections. They are easy to treat and have an extremely high survival rate, but they cost money and time and most shelters are not willing to put forth that effort. As a complete no-kill organization, GHS will do everything it takes to save a cat or kitten with an upper respiratory infection and we have never killed an animal because of it. We've had kittens that have been sick with months and incurred hundreds of dollars in vet bills, but that is NO reason for killing.

How can you help the kittens and cats during this stressful time?

• GET INVOLVED! We are in desperate need of foster parents. GHS will pay for all food/litter, vet work, and care. We just need loving homes! For the application please click HERE!
• VOLUNTEER! We always need volunteers to clean our adoption center and socialize the cats/kittens there. The requirement is 18 years of age, dedication to the kitties, and a committment of one day a week (2 hour shift). If this commitment doesn't work, we are always willing to work with you!
• SPAY AND NEUTER. Even if your cat is indoors...once your kitten is as young as 8 weeks old they can be safely altered. Most kittens are "accidental" births. There are low cost clinics in Georgia that you can find by clicking HERE.
• DONATE. If you cannot donate time, donate supplies or money. We are always in need of kitten food, litter, litterboxes, beds, and toys. Any money donated goes towards vet work. For every cat or kitten we can vet and rescue, we can use that donation to go into another high kill shelter and rehabilitate another needy kitty. Every penny counts!
• ADOPT! We love pairing families with their perfect kitty! At any given time we have someone for everyone...purebred, declawed by previous owner, kitten, adult, laid back, social, great with kids, loves dogs, etc.
  

The sad truth is that many cats and kittens will be euthanized (killed) in shelters to make room for the kittens they know are coming in. It's heart breaking to know that so many kittens will be brought into this world only to die, because we as a species don't care enough to do something about it.

We are always so happy to find great new homes for our fur babies. However, with the economy being like it is we have seen an increase in owner surrenders and a decrease in adoptions. It's tough right now. We have 16 kittens at our adoption center, and many many more in foster care. Not to mention the hundreds upon hundreds trying to hold on in the streets or the high-kill shelters!

Please...spay or neuter your pet. Millions are dying and everyone needs to do their part to STOP THE KILLING!