Good To Know: Kittens Are A Seasonal Gift

Ever wonder why sometime in April a flood of kittens starts to appear at your local shelter? The answer is found in simple biology. A great many species of mammals naturally reproduce on a schedule that follows seasonal cycles. It may seem a little strange at first thought, but this only makes sense. Timing births when food supplies are plentiful, when the temperatures are suitable, or around major migration patterns can be a real advantage. Caring for hungry and demanding offspring is a lot easier when an animal doesn't have to contend with a shortage of food and freezing temperatures. Being able to time breeding cycles consistently provides a real evolutionary advantage.

Cats too follow a similar instinct. This is why many animal shelters are often either overrun with kittens or seem to have none available for adoption at all. It will vary from region to region depending upon climate of course, but in the much of the US "kitten season" often runs from around the end of March through the end of October. Stray cats, as well as domesticated unaltered cats, will typically be driven by instinct to time births in this period.

This gives us yet another reason why being a foster parent is important. "When it rains, it pours" they say, and it's no less true when kitten season comes around. Shelters are often critically short of space during the summer. Creative shelters often host special events in the summer to draw extra attention to the kittens and cats in their care to draw in potential adoptees. But having a large pool of volunteer foster parents is always a real help. If you'd like to volunteer as a foster parent for kittens or adult cats any time of the year, we are happy to recommend a local shelter to get you started.

Good To Know: How To Help Feral Cats

Almost every human community of any size has feral cats living nearby. In ancient days before domestication, the early ancestors of cats could often be found around our settlements hunting the rodents that were attracted to our granaries. What can I say, humans tend to attract mice!

In the United States, at least, all of these feral cats are actually descended from formerly domesticated cats who were either abandoned or lost over the centuries. While cats are not too far removed from their natural state, our domestic cats are not native to North America. Not only do feral cats often suffer tragically short and harsh lives living on their own, they also pose a real threat to native species in our local environment. In many places in the world, relentless human settlement and the accompanying introduction of non-native species into new ecosystems have nearly driven to extinction (or sadly already have driven to extinction) many species of birds and other wildlife.

But we can take steps to correct the problem we created. If you encounter feral cats living in your neighborhood, it is possible to humanely trap them and take them to local shelters for medical care. If found early enough, many feral kittens can become accustomed to human contact and will make good pets. Most feral adult cats cannot usually be put up for adoption, however. To address this situation humanely, many organizations sponsor "spay and release" programs that seek to reduce and someday remove altogether feral cat populations by preventing unwanted births.

One such program is the Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Project in Seattle. The Project states upfront "we believe that feral cats should not be killed simply because they were born without a house address" - a sentiment I strongly endorse. They offer a humane alternative to simply killing feral cats by effectively addressing the population problem at its root. Their web site offers useful information about how to trap feral cats humanely, and the Project offers free surgical procedures in regular clinics. If you live in another part of the country, there are many organizations that offer similar services in your area.