HOW YOU CAN HELP DURING NYC KITTEN SEASON
Spring has officially sprung in New York City, and with it comes Kitten Season—a sweet-sounding term with serious implications for our feline friends.
You may know an unneutered male cat is called a Tom, but did you know that an unspayed female cat is called a Queen? It’s cute… until you realize just how many kittens a single Queen can bring into the world during kitten season.
So, what exactly is Kitten Season?
The Basics: What is Kitten Season?
"Kitten season" refers to the time of year—typically early spring through late fall—when cats are most likely to reproduce. A female cat (aka a Queen) can have multiple pregnancies during this season, with as many as three litters in a few short months. That’s up to 12 kittens from one cat in one season!
While newborn kittens are undeniably adorable, this baby boom has a serious downside: overcrowded shelters, overwhelmed rescue workers, and thousands of cats in need of homes.
Why Spaying & Neutering Matter More Than Ever
Kitten season is a powerful reminder of the importance of spaying and neutering. Not only does it help reduce overpopulation, but it also offers major health and behavioral benefits:
Spaying helps prevent uterine infections and mammary tumors in females.
Neutering prevents testicular cancer in males.
It curbs aggressive behavior and unwanted "marking."
It also keeps Queens from going into frequent heat cycles, which include loud howling and frequent (sometimes inappropriate!) urination.
And let’s be real—no one wants to come home to a howling cat or a couch that smells like a litter box.
Found a Litter of Kittens in NYC? Here’s What to Do
Coming across a litter of kittens can tug at your heart—but it’s important to pause, assess, and take the right steps. Whether mama cat is nearby or not, your actions can make all the difference in giving that little feline family a real chance at survival.
Observe—Don’t Scoop!
If the kittens are tucked near a bush, in a stairwell, or behind a building, don’t rush to move them. Mother cats (a.k.a. Queens) often leave their kittens alone for hours at a time to find food, especially in busy city environments.
A healthy mama will return every 2–3 hours to nurse and clean her babies. If the kittens appear warm, fed, and relatively quiet, they are probably being well cared for—even if you don’t see mom right away.
However, if the kittens are:
Placed in a box (suggesting they were abandoned),
In immediate danger (exposed to cars, cold, predators),
Crying non-stop, or
Visibly sick or weak,
then it’s time to step in and take action right away!
Mama Is There? Great—Now Support Her
If you do spot mama and she seems healthy, the best thing you can do is let her raise her kittens in peace, at least until they’re 5–6 weeks old. In the meantime:
Provide food and water nearby to help mama stay strong while nursing
Check in daily to make sure the space is still safe and clean
Ask neighbors—many outdoor cats are already being cared for by local feeders or colony caretakers
If no one else is helping, consider becoming a feeder temporarily and coordinating with a local rescue for long-term help
Mama cats do a much better job raising their kittens than we humans can—so long as they’re safe, supported, and fed.
Step 3: Mama Never Returned? Kittens Need Immediate Help
If several hours have passed and mama hasn’t come back—and the kittens seem cold, dirty, or underweight—they’ll need help right away. Bottle babies under 5 weeks old cannot survive without round-the-clock care.
In this case, call or message a local NYC rescue or shelter for guidance:
Fostering Saves Lives—Literally
During kitten season, rescue organizations are stretched incredibly thin. Many can’t take in more cats unless someone steps up to foster.
If you’re able to provide a safe, warm space—even temporarily—you could save an entire litter and their mom. Most rescues will help with supplies like food, litter, and medical care.
Fostering is the bridge between rescue and adoption. You don’t need to be an expert—just someone willing to help.
You can foster:
Orphaned kittens that need bottle feeding
Mama cats with litters who need a quiet place to nurse
Older kittens who need socialization before adoption
If you’re not in a position to foster, you can still help by:
Spreading the word to others who might be able to
Donating to rescues that are actively helping kittens in your neighborhood
Offering food or transport to support existing fosters or feeders
When the Time Is Right—TNR or Adopt
Once the kittens are 5–6 weeks old and eating on their own, it’s time to work with a rescue to get them (and mama) spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and ready for adoption.
If the cats are part of an outdoor colony and not socialized, Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) may be the best route. Many organizations offer assistance with traps, scheduling, and spay/neuter clinics.
How can you help shelters during this busy season?
Even if you don’t find kittens personally, there are so many ways to support your local shelters and the cats they serve:
Donate food, blankets, or funds
Volunteer to Foster
Adopt if you’re ready to welcome a new feline family member.
Every small act of kindness helps cats get the care—and homes—they deserve.
So what have we learned about "Kitten Season"?
Kitten season runs from early spring through fall, when most litters are born
Spaying and neutering are the best ways to reduce the number of stray cats
If you find a litter, assess the situation—intervene only if mama cat is truly absent or the kittens are in danger.
If mama cat is present, give them time—then connect with rescues when the kittens are old enough
Shelters need all the help they can get this time of year, from donations to fostering and beyond
A Note to Current Foster Cat Parents and and Those Considering Fostering
Fostering can feel like a big commitment, especially if you travel, work long hours, or just have an unpredictable schedule. But if you’ve got the space and the heart, fostering can truly save lives—especially during kitten season when NYC rescues are overwhelmed and in desperate need of helping hands (and homes). We hope to appeal to those of you that have thought about fostering a cat or kitten but haven’t yet in fear that you won’t be able to give them enough attention. Any inside and safe environment is better for these cats than a life out on NYC streets, so please consider fostering this year!!
To help make fostering more accessible for current foster parents and prospective ones, we’re offering 30% off all cat sitting services for foster cats, from daily cat visits to overnight cat sitting.
Our team has years of hands-on experience caring for cats of all kinds: tiny kittens, seniors with meds, shy fosters just learning to trust, and everything in between. Many of us have fostered and volunteered with NYC rescues ourselves, so we understand how important it is that your foster cat is safe and well cared for. And we would like to offer our help in thanks to the heroes that volunteer their time, homes and resources to cats and kittens in need.
So Visit our Cat Sitting page to learn more about our cat sitting and cat care services and let us know how we can help!!