This year’s “Kitten Palooza” saw the adoption of 86 kittens.
The event, put on by the Humane Society Silicon Valley earlier this month, is a push to cull the influx of kittens that flood into the shelter each year around this time.
“When the weather turns warm, it kind of spurs the, uh, activity,” Kelly Rouillard, marketing director with Human Society Silicon Valley (HSSV), said with a chuckle. “So, what happens is cats have a lot of litters.”
Typically, Rouillard said, kitten season, as it were, starts a little earlier, but the weather this year pushed it back. Each week during this time, HSSV takes in between 60 and 100 kittens.
Because of this uptick in kitten births, most shelters are near or at capacity. HSSV partners with other shelters, often taking their overflow to prevent crowding. Rouillard said HSSV has had success adopting kittens, rarely keeping an animal into adulthood.
Programs such as the nonprofit’s free pet pantry, spaying/neutering and behavioral training help make things easier for potential adopters, she said. Those considering a new pet are more confident they can take on the responsibility of pet ownership because of these resources, she said.
While well-meaning people may spot a litter of seemingly abandoned kittens, Rouillard said they should keep an eye on the situation before bringing them to a shelter. Often, the kittens’ mother may simply be away, finding food, for instance, and could return within a few hours.
Efforts to ensure potential pet owners have support are important to make sure the adoption sticks, Rouillard said. Many shelters, including HSSV, see owners falter in the ability to care for the pets they adopt, returning them to the shelter.
“During the pandemic, a lot of adoptions occurred, but when [adopters] went back to work, they didn’t realize how much work or time was involved,” Rouillard said. “We try to not be too hard on people. We realize things change. People move to a place that doesn’t allow pets, apartments require pet deposits, people get new jobs and have to move out of state.”
A stable of people who foster animals and programs that provide pathways for those studying veterinary science to get into shelter care allows HSSV to handle the rigor of kitten season. Ensuring potential owners are not cavalier with adopting an animal is part of the reason HSSV, located at 901 Ames Ave. in Milpitas, vets potential adopters thoroughly, providing them with lifestyle counseling.
“We don’t want anyone to go into a situation where they have unrealistic expectations,” Rouillard said. “We want everyone to have a happy and cohesive life with their new animal, so the best way to find that out is to talk with them and find out what their lifestyle is.”
To donate to the HSSV, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, or adopt an animal visit the Humane Society of Silicon Valley website at: https://www.hssv.org/
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