With the onset of kitten season, Ventura County Animal Services has had to kick off a food drive to ensure all the felines under their care stay well-fed. The seasonal surge is expected to last through November, usually starting around spring, with the mating season kicking into gear due to the warming temperatures.
California animal shelter launches kitten food drive
Ventura County Animal Services is expecting about 1,500 kittens. They are seeking about 2,200 cases of wet food to keep the felines well-fed. While the shelter is a haven for many community animals, most tend to be cats and kittens, per VC Star. While other regions might have mostly dogs as part of their community animal population, Ventura County tends to have more felines.
Their marketing manager, Randy Friedman, noted that the kitten season is already upon them, and the little ones are coming in almost daily. Unfortunately, the kittens are usually way below the average weight and extremely young when they are handed to the shelter. Moreover, they tend to pass away if they aren’t fed every few hours. This makes caring for them all the more challenging.
Kittens’ food intake is often grossly underestimated. While Ventura County Animal Services doesn’t have 24/7 staffing, they get some help from trained foster parents. The food drive is a much-needed initiative for the community to continue caring for their feline friends. This will ensure the kittens have enough food to go around.
The animal shelter also stated that not all the kittens need to be brought in. Sometimes, it is best to leave them with their moms. They are often more than capable of caring for their litter. They can provide milk, eventually wean them, and protect their little ones from fellow cats or predators.
People are encouraged to bring the kittens to the shelter only if they are injured or sick. However, if the felines are old enough to be spayed or neutered, one should bring them in to help manage the feral cat population.
