COVID-19 Resources: Community Cats & Kittens
The National Animal Care and Control Association (NACA) has recommended that the only animals coming into animal control agencies should be those that are true emergencies such as sick, injured, or neglected pets. What does that mean for community cats and neonatal kittens?
Neonatal Kittens
Before kitten season gets into full swing (which might be any minute now), it’s critical for shelters and rescues to map out a strategy for managing any influx. Shelters and rescue groups should be telling their communities to leave kittens where they find them. But we know that some people won’t always adhere to that recommendation. The resources below will help you safely care for the neonates that find their way to your agencies.
VIDEOS, WEBINARS, & PODCAST
- Ask the Expert - With so many shelters closed, what is happening to neonatal kittens?
- Kitten Minute: neonatal care video series
DOWNLOADABLE PDFs, PLAYBOOKS, & SOPs
- Caring for Abandoned Kittens: Handout explaining what to do if an individual finds kittens (English version, Spanish version)
- Kitten Foster Manual
- Bottle Feeding Kittens
PARTNER EXAMPLES
- Kitten Lady: How to Age Kittens
- Kitten Lady: Kitten Care Booklet (English & Spanish downloads available)
- Jacksonville Humane Society: Don't Kit-Nap Kittens
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES & INFORMATION
- Best Friends Vet Access: This smartphone app connects you with a licensed veterinarian via chat, call or video. Use code BFHELPS to use for free for 30 days.
- KC Pet Project: If You've Found a Kitten
- Neonatal Kitten Toolkit
- NKLA Kitten Resources
- Onset of Kitten Season Combined with Shelter Limitations Leads to Creative Solutions
Community Cats
Managing cat colonies may be limited at this time due to reductions in spay/neuter, so if you have access you should still be taking advantage of it. If your shelter or clinic is no longer offering surgeries for TNR cats, it’s important to still follow all other proven practices to care for community cats and reduce complaint issues. In the meantime, keeping a spreadsheet of colonies with pregnant cats or those who have given birth can drive spay/neuter focus when things change, and surgery slots are available again.
VIDEOS, WEBINARS, & PODCAST
- The Community Cats Podcast: CCP COVID-19 Pop Up Panel for April 27, 2020
- Million Cat Challenge: Flattening the Kitten Curve While Spay/Neuter is on Hold
DOWNLOADABLE PDFs, PLAYBOOKS, & SOPs
- Community Cat Programs Handbook: Strays and Ferals
- Contingency Plans for Community Cats
- Flattening the Kitten Curve Resource List
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES & INFORMATION
- Best Friends- Cats and COVID-19
- NACA statement on Cat Intake Protocol Recommendations During COVID-19 Pandemic
- Cat Stats: Create an online colony database for your TNR colony
- Ready....Set....Spay flyer- Million Cat Challenge and Tomahawk Live Trap