Kitten season in full swing, animal welfare needs fosters
Kitten season is in full swing, especially at the Oklahoma City Animal Welfare. People, with good intentions, are bringing in kittens that likely have a mother wondering where they went.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - Kitten season is in full swing, especially at the Oklahoma City Animal Welfare. People, with good intentions, are bringing in kittens that likely have a mother wondering where they went.
"These guys are too little to be here. They shouldn't be without a mom," said Crystal Slocum, the administrative specialist at the OKC Animal Welfare.
This time of year, the OKCAW is usually over capacity with kittens. Unfortunately, adoption won't fit this problem.
"There are just too many coming in and not enough to take care of them," said Slocum.
Tuesday alone, 32 cats were brought in.
Slocum said people have good intentions, bringing in kittens they think have been abandoned, with no sign of mom.
"If it's there, it's healthy, if it's clean, it's got a full belly, mom is still taking care of it," said Slocum.
Remember, mama cats don't stay with their litter. In the wild, or in the shelter.
"They're generally only with their babies to feed them," said Slocum.
If they're separated, the kittens chances of survival go down.
"They're kind of dirty," said Slocum pointing to a set of young kittens at the shelter. "Their immune system is going to be a little bit lower because mom's not taking care of them."
Most of them have to be bottle fed every two to three hours. Welfare staff can only do so much.
The shelter has 163 kittens in foster care right now, but more fosters are needed.
"If there's no one to bottle feed them, unfortunately they have to be euthanized," said Slocum.
Tuesday, 14 cats had to be put down.
If you want to be a foster, the OKCAW will train you before you leave with a kitten.
If you see a kitten alone, keep a close eye on it to see if mama comes back, before bringing them to the shelter.
"Do everything that you can to leave them there," said Slocum.
Some of the kittens at the shelter are too young to be spayed or neutered.
If you see a cat, or dog, that you want to adopt that has not been fixed, the shelter will put your name on the pet to expedite the process as long as the animal is old enough for surgery.
To learn more about the OKC Animal Welfare, visit OKC.gov.