Kitten Season in San Antonio: Why Fosters Save Lives

Here in San Antonio, we don’t just have one kitten season—we have two. Because of our mild winters, cats are able to reproduce more frequently than in many other parts of the country.

• The first season runs from March through May, when shelters see the highest surge of newborn kittens.
• The second season happens in mid-August through September, and we’re right in the middle of it now.

During these times, San Antonio Pets Alive! (SAPA!) sees an overwhelming number of kittens entering our care. What used to be 8 to 10 kittens a day has now grown to as many as 24 to 35 kittens a day.

Why Fosters Are Critical

Many of these tiny kittens are classified as unhealthy and untreatable simply because shelters don’t have the capacity to care for them. Without fosters, these kittens only have 24 to 48 hours for us to find them help.

Neonatal kittens are especially vulnerable because they require bottle feeding every three hours around the clock. The good news? Each feeding only takes about five minutes, and the difference you make is truly lifesaving.

• 0–6 weeks old: Bottle-fed formula every few hours.
• 6 weeks and older: Transition to soft pate-style food.
• Commitment: Usually just 1–2 months until the kittens are ready to be spayed/neutered and adopted.

What You’ll Gain by Fostering

💡 Did you know? By fostering neonatal kittens, you can also earn volunteer service hours. This is perfect for students, military members, or organizations looking to meet service requirements while making a lifesaving impact.

While fostering neonatal kittens is a commitment, it is also one of the most rewarding experiences you can have. You’ll watch fragile newborns grow into healthy, playful kittens who are ready to meet their forever families—all because you gave them a chance to survive.

SAPA! provides guidance, support, and the supplies you need. What we need are caring hands and open hearts to help these little ones through their most critical stage of life.

How You Can Help

San Antonio Pets Alive! is always in urgent need of neonatal kitten fosters. Without them, many kittens won’t survive. If you’ve ever thought about fostering, now is the time to step up and save lives.

👉 Click here to sign up as a foster.https://www.shelterluv.com/matchme/foster/SAPA/Cat
📧 Questions? Email us at foster@sanantoniopetsalive.org.

Together, we can turn kitten season from a time of crisis into a time of hope. 💙🐾