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Blue Ridge Humane Prepares for Kitten Season with Kitten Shower, Name a Kitten, and More!

A black kitten with white paws and chest walks across a blanket. Another black kitten can be seen in the background.Blue Ridge Humane Prepares for Kitten Season with Kitten Shower, Name a Kitten, and More!

Thursday, March 11 , 2021: Hendersonville, NC – Hundreds of baby kittens are expected and Blue Ridge Humane Society staff are getting ready with a virtual Kitten Shower to gather items needed to care for the most vulnerable.

The Kitten Shower will be March 21-27 and feature donation drop-off locations around Henderson County. Individuals can purchase items from the BRHS Kitten Registry at local pet supply stores or online. Items include vital supplies like kitten formula and food, kitten warmers, bottles, and supplements that give foster kittens the needed boost to grow into healthy adults.

“It takes a lot to save an orphaned kitten – we equip our fosters with the supplies they need to bottle feed their foster kittens (who, depending on their age may need to be fed every two hours!) and provide their foster kittens with constant access to warmth and comfort,” shares Morgan Harrell, Foster Program Manager. “We also equip our fosters with emergency lifesaving supplies to help prevent and treat Fading Kitten Syndrome, a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical intervention.”

Supplies can be dropped off at the following locations during the week of March 21-28:

The full kitten supply list is available on the Blue Ridge Humane Society website at https://www.blueridgehumane.org/donate/wish-list/. There are also options available for items to be purchased online and shipped directly to Blue Ridge Humane.

Kitten lovers will also have the opportunity to Name a Kitten as part of the event with a $10 donation. As names are used over the year, donors will receive a photo of the kitten they named. Naming donations can be made online, over the phone, or via mail.

The week will include a “foster happy hour” for interested individuals to virtually meet Morgan Harrell, the Foster Program Manager, and learn more about becoming a BRHS foster parent. Registration info will be listed online on the BRHS calendar.

As the weather warms up, the birds, bees, and cats get busy. Soon, kittens start to appear in local animal shelters, “rescued” by well-meaning animal lovers. “We are coming on that time of year when animal lovers begin finding kittens outside,” says Angela Prodrick, Blue Ridge Humane’s Executive Director. “It is important to remember that the amount of community or feral cats in our county far outnumbers the number of people living in our community. If all the kittens were brought to a local shelter, the shelter would quickly become overwhelmed. If you find a kitten, there are a few simple things that you can do to help us save lives.”

Instead of immediately springing into action once kittens are found, wait and watch. If the kittens aren’t visibly sick or injured, move away from the nest and wait to see if the mother returns. If the mother returns you can help her by providing food and shelter while she raises the kittens.

If you discover that mom isn’t returning, or if for any reason it appears that she is not coming back, then you should remove the kittens. This is crucial to the kittens’ survival. The best place for kittens to grow is with a dedicated foster. Blue Ridge Humane provides kitten kits to help kitten rescuers turn into kitten fosters.

“Orphaned neonatal and very young kittens are extremely fragile and won’t survive without intervention – our incredible crew of kitten fosters are able to give these little ones the care they need to survive, continues Harrell. “Older kittens may not need round the clock care, but they do need love, socialization, and space to run and play. Fostering gives these tiny tigers an opportunity to grow up in a loving home environment with lots of enrichment and opportunities to interact with people and other animals.”

Once kittens are about 6-8 weeks old, a finder can look to get them spayed or neutered and adopted into new homes. If you find kittens that are in need of care and need supplies or advice, contact the BRHS Foster and Community Outreach Team at community@blueridgehumane.org or (828) 393-5832. Animal lovers can also view additional resources about what to do when kittens are found at https://www.blueridgehumane.org/resources/lost-found/kittens/.

Blue Ridge Humane offers kitten care support for volunteers, as well as comprehensive training and support for fosters in the BRHS foster program. To learn more about fostering, visit https://www.blueridgehumane.org/get-involved/foster/ or contact Harrell at foster@blueridgehumane.org.