Animal shelters and the Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society are currently experiencing an influx of kittens likely due to record rainfall across the Bay Area this past winter, according to shelter officials.
Excessive rainfall across the Bay Area delayed “kitten season” which usually begins in March or April, Jeffrey Zerwekh, executive director for the humane society said in a statement:
“As of right now we have 58 kittens under our care for May so we are bracing for a really busy season.”
Shelter officials said the majority of the kittens are born to feral or stray cats, and brought to the shelter by people who think they are abandoned.
The kittens are too young to fend for themselves and require 24-hour care until they can eat on their own when they are about a month old, according to shelter officials.
Most rescues and shelters don’t have the staffing to support 24-hour care, and require foster homes to place the kittens in until they are old enough to adopt or roughly one to two pounds.
Shelter officials said Bay Area residents can help the kittens by donating to the “Kitten Season” fundraiser at Pet Food Express stores in the month of May.
Donations can consist of pre-wean kits, cat litter, food and or money for the shelters and rescues.
Last modified May 16, 2017 1:16 am
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