JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Humane Society (JHS) needs your help to save the lives of underage kittens.
In the last four weeks, the JHS has accepted 429 kittens under five months making a total of 1,033 kitten donations in 2022.
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There are plenty of ways to help.
You can temporarily foster kittens and raise them until they are 8-weeks-old. JHS will provide all medical care along with food and other supplies. When the kittens reach the right age and weight, you can return them to JHS to have spay/neuter surgery and find new, loving homes.
Foster homes are lifesaving for neonatal kittens because they provide the supervision and care needed for the kittens to thrive and live healthy lives.
Often the kittens are too young to eat on their own and require feedings from human helpers every few hours. Some kittens come in with their mother cat, others are able to eat on their own and just need socialization from humans.
If you are unable to be a foster parent, you can still help by donating to the “Be a Feline Friend” campaign. All donations are currently being matched by a generous donor, and you get an opportunity to choose a name for a cat or kitten at the JHS.
The Jacksonville Humane Society is the area’s largest cat adoption center. Kittens are also available for adoption at JHS’s Adoption, Education and Pet Help Center.
“This is our busiest time of year for kittens, and it isn’t going to slow down any time soon,” said JHS CEO Denise Deisler. “However, there is no place like Jacksonville when it comes to helping pets in need! We are excited to welcome new volunteer foster parents to this amazing community of helpers.”
Community members are also asked to remember the “Don’t Kitnap” recommendations when finding kittens. Stop, watch and wait for the mother cat to return. A kitten’s best chance at survival is to stay with their mother cat because she is likely nearby and waiting for you to leave.
For information on becoming a foster parent, donating, or adopting, please visit jaxhumane.org or call 904.725.8766.