Bernice is a kitten who currently lives at Calaveras County’s animal shelter
with her three sisters, Mary, Ruth and Esther. Prior to coming to the shelter,
the quartet was discovered abandoned in a box outside of a church.
Calaveras County’s animal shelter is currently in need of the community’s assistance during “kitten season” – the part of each year when there is a significant increase in kitten births.
According to the county’s animal services department, kitten season is at its midway point, as it typically extends from April through November in this area each year.
Due to an influx of kittens during this time of year, the county’s animal shelter has a much greater need to find good homes for the cats and kittens residing at this facility.
The shelter currently houses 40 cats, including six kitten litters, compared to a daily average of 18 cats during this shelter’s non-kitten season months of December through March.
The number of the shelter’s kittens could greatly increase in a short period of time, explained Lisa Medina, the county’s animal services director.
She stated that mature female cats or “queens” have a very short gestation period – the time during which an embryo or fetus is carried inside the uterus.
“The gestation (period for queens is) 63 to 65 days,” Medina said. “So, when you look at that (amount of time), that can be every few months that the cats might go into heat. Hence, they can go into heat three (to) four times a year.
“And (also) kittens, once they become just a few months old, typically, they could have kittens themselves. They’re just kittens at six months old, and they can have a litter.”
The county animal shelter’s highest cat population during kitten season during the last three years was 82.
Those interested in adopting cats and/or kittens can visit the shelter’s adoption center to meet animals in person on Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The community can also view online animal profiles on the shelter’s website or Facebook page. Medina noted that online profiles of the shelter’s cats and kittens, as well its other animals, are updated daily.
Medina also stated that the process of adopting an animal at the shelter is easy.
“They just simply fill out the pet adoption application, which is available online or in person, and then we will do the rest,” she said. “Some cats have sponsored adoptions, meaning someone prepaid their adoption fee. So, if (a) cat is not sponsored, we also have a low adoption fee of $60.”
Medina mentioned that not all of the kittens at the shelter are ready to be adopted.
Those kittens include neonatal kittens, Medina added.
“We do have (some) neonatal kittens, which are one to two days old, and those take a little bit more care and handling by our staff and by our fosters,” she said. “The foster humans usually need to take those kittens home and bottle feed them every two hours. So, it’s a lot of loving work.
“But we have those dedicated people that will do that (service) and take those neonatals home. But we will try to save every little animal that comes our way.”
Asked how early kittens can be adopted from the shelter, Medina stated that the shelter will not release them until they reach an appropriate age to be spayed or neutered.
“They do have to be spayed (or neutered) prior to them going out,” she said. “So, we do not like to spay (or neuter) kittens too young. But we’re looking at a couple months, about three months old, three to four months.
“(Currently), all the kittens are very young. They’re still being cared for by (the shelter’s) staff and our volunteers and our foster families.”
Providing an example of kittens that will be available for adoption from the shelter, Medina introduced Mary, Ruth, Esther and Bernice.
“These are four gray tabby sisters who were found abandoned in a box outside of a church,” she said. “Each one of those kittens is healthy, active, fun, loving, and especially fun. They’re chasing toys on a catwalk. They’re a little shy at first, but they have full potential and just need a little time and patience, consistent love, and general attention for their personalities to blossom.”
Another kitten at this facility that Medina featured is Mindy.
“(Mindy) is No. 8059084, and the picture of Mindy is in a little hat,” she said. “(She has) a little bonnet on. She’s very sweet. She’s a short-haired domestic cat. She’s a sweet, adorable kitten who was a young stray hanging out all alone in the yard of a kind person who brought her to the shelter. She’s full of curiosity, love and place of energy. She’s affectionate, and adores cuddles.
“This is one that is brand new. (I) can’t make a promise that she’ll still be there, but we like to make sure that all of them go out the door. Whether they have that special little cuteness or they look a little rugged, or they look like a tomcat, we like to make sure that they all get to their forever loving human home.”
Medina recognized the additional work that the shelter’s general staff is performing during kitten season.
“Our shelter staff and our animal services officers and even our managers, we’re all boots on the ground, and even myself,” she said. “So, we keep quite busy during the kitten season. I have a really awesome (animal services) manager, Michael Vasquez, and (a) truly wonderful staff that makes sure that any animal that comes into our shelter is taken care of appropriately.”
Medina also praised the shelter’s volunteers.
“We are extremely fortunate to have dedicated volunteers that have been with us for years – 25-plus years – and we rely on them on a daily basis, not only for just the cats, but to walk our dogs, to do laundry, to clean cat and dog kennels, to centralize our animals with exercise and play.
“We host donation drives, we host events, grooming available animals, and also educating our public about responsible pet ownership. And they also help us with attending some of the community events.”
Those interested in volunteering at the shelter must be at least 18 years old and must undergo a background check.
A volunteer application is available online at Animal.CalaverasGov.us, under the “forms & documents” section, as well as at the shelter.
Medina stated that the local shelter does not have its own spay and neuter clinic.
However, she emphasizes the importance of spaying and neutering to prevent the overpopulation of cats.
“We do have the spay and neuter program for the community, free-roaming cats, which also helps us to reduce the number of unwanted kittens being born,” Medina said. “And, of course, that strains the resources of shelters and other animal welfare organizations.
“But one of our local resources is FOCAS – and that’s our Friends of Calaveras Animal Services – and the Return to Field program, which is our RTF program. And also, (there is) FOCAS’ Prevent A(nother) Litter program, which is called the PAL program. And those programs support the spaying and neutering of pet cats and also the community cats (or any outdoor cat that does not have a traditional indoor home).”
Medina added that there are many private veterinarians that offer low-cost services in this county.
For additional information about the county’s animal shelter, including animal adoption and volunteer opportunities, visit the website, Animal.CalaverasGov.us or call 209-754-6509.
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