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Kitten Season is Coming

NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Spring is in the air and for many that means getting outside and having fun But for animal shelters, it means a lot of work ...

NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- Spring is in the air and for many that means getting outside and having fun

But for animal shelters, it means a lot of work as hundreds of helpless animals come through the doors.

"Kind hearts and hands welcome" is painted on fence posts outside the Hillside SPCA near Pottsville

This year, workers at the animal shelter are hoping for a lot of helping hands because, as winter comes to an end, they all know one thing --kittens are coming.

"Spring hits and the kittens are being born, usually around April, May-ish people will start finding batches of them," said shelter worker Donna Martin.

"It's insane, it's crazy, it's every day, it's non-stop. From the time that we are in in the morning, even after hours, people are constantly bringing new batches of kittens in," said animal care technician Lindsay Cohan.

When kittens are found, people bring them to Hillside. These kittens were lucky enough to be brought in with their mother, but workers at Hillside say they have to be prepared for all possibilities.

"To bottle feed, if we need to, definitely have plenty of food on hand, lots of kitten chow," Martin said.

Folks at Hillside SPCA tell Newswatch 16 more than 700 kittens came through the animal shelter last year, the most being in the spring and summer.

"Regardless of kitten season, we house about 250 cats at any given time, so imagine already having 250 cats, plus you know a nonstop of incoming kittens, so the strain is definitely real," Cohan said.

Animal shelters like Hillside are asking for donations now to help with the incoming kittens, especially donations of items like formula, kitten chow, cleaning supplies, old newspapers, and laundry.

Workers at Hillside SPCA say the best way to prevent a hard kitten season is to have stray cats in your neighborhood spayed or neutered.

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