From March to October, the weight of Kitten Season bears down on the Dallas area. Shelters and foster homes are overwhelmed with newborn kittens. Over 1300 kits are surrendered to shelters each year, and tragically, many will die without foster parent support.
Despite the discouraging situation, DPA’s dedicated foster parents work tirelessly to give these tiny, fragile lives a second chance. Bottle babies are in a particularly delicate stage of life, and their survival hinges on round-the-clock feeding, changing, burping, weight and heat monitoring, elimination assistance, swaddling, and so on. They are completely defenseless and dependent upon their mother or surrogate for the first 4 weeks of life, at a minimum.
Unfortunately, there is no foolproof replacement for their mother’s care, which is why it’s important to know what to do if you find a lone kitten. Mama cats will often move their litter for comfort or safety, but can only carry one at a time. Take a few minutes to survey the area for her before removing any kits. Their best chance at life is with her!
A Lonely Kit in Kitten Season: Ducky’s Tale
Today, we would like to share the tiny tale of one these special bottle babies. His name is Ducky, and his story illustrates the vulnerability faced by newborn kits without a mother’s care.
Ducky was found by a good samaritan and brought into Dallas Animal Services at just 2 days old. It is frequently the case that shelters do no have the staff or funding to cover complex and prolonged treatments like bottle babies require, and that day was no different. By the time he was 5 days old, they were scrambling to find an experienced foster parent, when fortuitously, DPA! volunteers spotted him.
Now, after a week of being treated like the little prince he is, Ducky is showing progress. He struggled with formula at first, but has become a very enthusiastic eater. At day 12, he weighed 8.8 ounces (250 grams), which is on track for his age!
As we follow Ducky’s journey, let it inspire you to contribute in whatever way you can. Your support can lighten the load for shelters and foster parents, ensuring more kittens grow up strong and healthy, and ready for their forever homes.
Kitten Season for Cat Mamas
Towards the tail end of kitten season last year, Dumpling was brought into Dallas Animal Services as a pregnant stray. During her short time at the shelter, she gave birth to a litter of 7 beautiful kittens: Wonton, Bao, Pierogi, Samosa, Gyoza, Matzo, and Empanada. One of our dedicated foster families eagerly stepped up to welcome this sweet family into their home, offering Dumpling a quiet and safe place to raise her kittens.
This selfless mama cat gave everything she could to her babies! While the kittens grew stronger every day as she nursed them, Dumpling encountered a bit of a health scare as her own weight began to dwindle. She was taken to one of our vet partners to determine the cause of her weight loss and find the right plan to restore her health. Soon she was back up to a healthy weight and had the energy to play with and socialize her kittens, which was crucial to their development.
Dumpling’s story is a prime example of the important roles that rescue organizations and foster care both play for nursing mamas and their babies during kitten season. Without the diligent care of their foster and the support of Dallas Pets Alive, Dumpling’s health would have continued to decline, eventually putting her babies at risk as well.
Adoption Spotlight
Are you the lifelong companion these magnificent felines deserve?
Dumpling is a resilient 4-year-old retired cat mama. After raising a litter of 7 perfect kittens that have all found their own forever homes, Dumpling is ready for a happy tail of her own! This curious and charming girl is sure to be a lively and heartwarming addition to any family. Adopt Dumpling!
Cinder and Ash are 9-month-old brothers who have been under DPA’s care since they were just a few weeks old. These two are a bonded pair and would do best in a home where they can be together. They are both playful, cuddly, good with other cats, and very people-friendly! Adopt Cinder and Ash!
Krile is a stunning tortoiseshell who blessed DFW with 6 pocket-sized purr machines for kitten season this year! This graceful girl is seeking a permanent home where she can soak up all the love you have to give. Could you be the fresh start this charismatic young lady is looking for? Adopt Krile!
After being featured in our newsletter, applications poured in for Krile’s cuties! Tifa is the only kitten left from this adorable bunch, and she will be adoptable soon. Believe it or not, this was not Krile’s first litter. Celes was born last kitten season and needs a lifelong companion too! Bring home this regal, playful girl who has her mother’s dazzling coat. Adopt Tifa!
Be a Kitten Season Hero
Donate Supplies: Rescuing and fostering all of these kittens takes a lot of bottles, formula, kitten food, kitty litter, and more!
Gift an item from our Kitten Shower wish list.
Sponsor a Bottle Baby Kitten: Orphaned kittens or “bottle babies” are incredibly fragile and need round-the-clock care, requiring bottle feeding every few hours.
Make a donation to Sponsor a Bottle Baby Kitten.
Become a Foster: Ready to open your heart and your home to animals in need? Fostering saves lives! Join us to support cats and kittens in need of foster homes during kitten season and beyond.
Learn more or sign up to foster today!
Help TNR Community Cats: The best way to help reduce the population of homeless cats is through prevention with Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR). With the support of a TNR program, you can help spay/neuter unowned feral or community cats in your neighborhood.
Learn more about feral cats or request help with TNR resources.
