Kitten season is the time of year when many outdoor cats give birth and shelters and rescues see a rise in litters. It often begins in spring and can last into fall, though timing varies with your climate. Young kittens need a great deal of care, so it pays to start preparing well before the first litters arrive.
This checklist covers what to put in place during the quieter months.
Build your foster network
Foster homes are often the main limit on how many kittens you can take. Newborn kittens may need feeding every couple of hours around the clock, so you'll want people who understand the commitment.
Start with your current fosters. Ask who's available this season and what they're willing to take. Update your records so you know your real capacity.
Recruit early. Ask for help in late winter, with a specific request. "We need homes for weaned kittens for four to six weeks" gives people a clear picture. See our guide to starting a foster program for more ideas.
Offer different levels of involvement. Bottle feeding isn't for everyone. Some people can take a mother cat with her litter, or weaned kittens, or simply give others a break.
Train before you need it. Run a short session or share videos on feeding, weighing, and warning signs. Pair new fosters with someone experienced.
If you use PawPlacer, you can tag fosters by experience, such as bottle babies or nursing moms, and filter your list by those tags. Each profile shows available capacity, and you can assign a whole litter to one foster when there's room for them all.
Stock up on supplies
Buy supplies early, since they may be harder to find once everyone needs them. Ask your veterinarian to review your list. Most rescues start with:
- Kitten milk replacer, bottles, nipples, and feeding syringes
- Heating pads or other safe heat sources, plus soft bedding
- A kitchen scale that measures in grams
- Wet kitten food and shallow dishes for weaning
- Litter and small, low-sided boxes
- Cleaning supplies and disposable gloves
- Flea products your vet has approved for young kittens
Decide how supplies will reach your fosters, and keep a basic kit ready for each one.
Plan your intake process
Decisions are harder to make when someone's waiting with a box of kittens, so agree on the following in advance:
- What information do you collect when kittens arrive?
- Who does the first health check, and when?
- What's your plan for sick kittens, or for kittens who may be contagious?
- Where do kittens stay while they wait for a foster?
- Who can say yes to new litters?
At a minimum, record the date, where the kittens were found, their estimated age and weight, any medical concerns, and whether the mother is around.
Decide how you'll respond when you're full
There will likely be times when you can't take every litter. Write down your options now, so your team isn't deciding in the moment.
One useful step is to create a short guide for people who find kittens. It can explain how to check whether the mother is coming back, how to keep kittens warm and safe, and who to contact next. Some finders may be willing to care for kittens if they have clear instructions and support. Your local vet or a national group such as Alley Cat Allies or Best Friends can be a good source of accurate information.
Talk with your veterinarian
Contact your vet well before the busy months, since their schedules fill up too. Discuss:
- Vaccination and deworming schedules for kittens
- When they can be spayed or neutered
- What should be treated as an emergency, and who to call after hours
- Protocols for upper respiratory infections and ringworm, including isolation
- Testing plans, such as for FeLV and FIV
- Target weight gain for young kittens, and when a low weight is a concern
- Any rescue pricing or scheduled surgery days
Share these guidelines with your fosters in writing, so they know when to call.
Keep good records
Kitten season puts more animals in more homes, which makes accurate records especially important. Young kittens from the same litter can look alike and can have different needs. Identify each kitten from the start, using a name and a collar color or marking.
Your records should include the following:
- Daily weights for very young kittens
- Dates for each vaccine, dewormer, and test
- Which foster has each litter
- Upcoming care and who's responsible for it
In PawPlacer, you can group kittens into a litter, log weights with a chart for each one, and schedule follow-ups so they appear on your calendar. Each foster's profile also has a Care this week panel that shows overdue care and anything due in the next seven days for pets in that home. Our post on organizing foster records has more detail.
Prepare for adoptions
Many kittens will be ready for adoption around the same time, so plan for that as well. Update your application, and decide when kittens may go home. Set your fees, and line up adoption events. Consider encouraging adopters to take two kittens, or an older cat, if your policies allow it.
Pace your team
Kitten season lasts for months. Avoid giving the same fosters one litter of bottle babies after another. Schedule breaks, share the work, and check in with your coordinators as well as your fosters. Thank people often, and share updates when kittens they raised go home.
