Help Collier’s Smallest Residents this Kitten Season

Collier County Domestic Animal Services (DAS) is calling on the community to help care for vulnerable kittens as Southwest Florida enters the height of “kitten season.” 

Each year, warmer weather brings a significant increase in kitten births, leading to an influx of litters arriving at local shelters. DAS is currently caring for kittens of all ages, from newborns requiring bottle feeding around the clock to older kittens preparing for adoption. To help meet the growing need, the shelter is urgently seeking foster families willing to provide temporary homes. 

Fostering through DAS is completely free. The shelter provides food, supplies, medical care, training, and ongoing support. Foster volunteers simply provide a safe, loving environment where kittens can grow and thrive until they are ready for adoption. 

“Kitten season places a tremendous strain on shelters throughout Florida, and foster families play a critical role in helping save lives,” said Mia Diaz, DAS Foster Coordinator. “By opening their homes temporarily, fosters give these kittens the opportunity to grow in a safe, loving environment while helping create much-needed space in the shelter.” 

In addition to fostering efforts, DAS continues working to reduce the number of homeless kittens entering the shelter through community cat sterilization programs. Community cats — free-roaming outdoor cats without identifiable owners — can reproduce quickly when left unspayed or unneutered. Through partnerships with residents and local organizations, DAS helps trap, sterilize, and vaccinate community cats to reduce future litters and improve the health of local cat populations. 

“Spaying and neutering continue to be among the most effective tools for controlling pet overpopulation, reducing shelter overcrowding, and preventing unplanned litters,” said Dr. Erica Unz, Collier County Veterinary Medical Director. 

Residents interested in becoming a kitten foster can learn more at Pets.Collier.gov.