Kitten Season Is Upon Us!
Ready or not, here they come!
Spring in Pittsburgh means one thing for sure, *𝐊𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧.* Rescues and shelters are inundated with kittens from Spring to Winter. While yes, these babies are sweet and adorable, they also significantly outnumber the resources available for them. We are currently facing a very serious overpopulation problem and every litter born contributes to the number of cats in desperate need of homes.
𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭-𝐬𝐨-𝐟𝐮𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬:
- Only 1 in 4 kittens born outside will survive their first 6 months.
- The average lifespan for an indoor cat is 15 but the average lifespan for an outdoor or feral cat is 3 years.
- 3.4 million cats enter shelters yearly in the US alone. 55% will never be adopted.
- 90% of the animals brought into US shelters have not been spayed or neutered.
- One queen and her offspring can produce 420,000 cats in 7 years.
SO WHAT CAN YOU DO?
- 𝑺𝒑𝒂𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑵𝒆𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒓! There a several free and low-cost options available to cat owners in the Pittsburgh area.
- 𝑻𝑵𝑽𝑹 (𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒑-𝑵𝒆𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒓-𝑽𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒆-𝑹𝒆𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏). Assist with trapping feral cats in your neighborhood to help end the cycle.
- 𝑨𝒅𝒐𝒑𝒕. Provide a forever home to a kitty in need. The rewards are instant.
- 𝑭𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓. Offer up a small space in your home and heart to house a homeless pet until they find their forever home.
- 𝑫𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒆. Donating money or supplies from wish lists helps lighten the burden on rescues and rescuers.
- 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒆. Take a moment to share this post and help spread the word about why spaying and neutering matters!