DERWOOD, Md. 鈥撀燗聽local animal shelter came up with a novel idea to draw attention to the annual population boom known as 鈥渒itten season鈥� by holding a “Kitten Shower.”
Shelter officials say that shelters tend to be inundated with litters of kittens around this time of year 鈥� some聽so young, their eyes aren鈥檛 even open yet.
Just like a baby shower, guests are welcome to bring presents. And at the Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center in Derwood, they鈥檙e accepting gifts of fleece blankets, kitten bottle kits and all the supplies that are needed to take care of the tiniest kittens that are often brought to the center.
Miranda Hitchcock, program administrator at MCASAC, explains that the event is a way to draw attention to the need for foster parents to help the kittens get off to a good start.
鈥淲e can鈥檛 adopt out kittens until they鈥檙e a certain age because they have to be big enough to be spayed and neutered before being adopted,” she said.
That鈥檚 where the foster parents come in.
They care for and nurture the kittens until they reach the appropriate size to be safely spayed or neutered. But Hitchcock said聽fostering also allows for the kittens to explore their world in a setting where they can be socialized ahead of being adopted.
Another reason for having kittens in foster homes in advance of finding a permanent home is that it safeguards them against communicable diseases.
鈥淥bviously when you have a ton of animals in a small space, it鈥檚 easy for things like viruses to get passed around,” Hitchcock said. “So we want to keep them out of the shelter environment as long as we can to make sure that they鈥檙e safe and healthy until they get their first and second round of vaccinations.”
And by that time, they鈥檙e ready to be adopted.
If you can鈥檛 make it to the shower, you can still help out by .
