Bringing home a kitten is one of life’s purest joys — those tiny paws, bright eyes, and endless purrs can melt even the busiest heart....

Shelters across the country are overwhelmed, especially during “kitten season” (spring through fall), when the number of homeless kittens skyrockets. Many facilities simply don’t have the resources or staff to care for every kitten who needs help. If the shelter can’t help, what can you do? Don’t panic. There are options — and what you do next could make all the difference for those kittens.

This quick, 60-second assessment can tell you whether the kitten is safe to monitor, needs to be rescued, or is in immediate danger.

Spaying a mother cat is one of the most impactful things you can do to prevent unwanted litters — but what happens when that mom is still nursing her kittens? Let’s walk through the facts, dispel the myths, and share best practices to ensure mom and babies stay healthy and safe.

July 5th is one of the busiest days of the year for lost pets arriving at animal shelters —many of which are already overwhelmed with summer intakes. For panicked families searching for their beloved furry friends, one tiny tool can make all the difference: a microchip.

Here’s how to write an adoption bio that helps cautious kittens find the patient, loving homes they deserve.

Here’s how to thank donors in heartfelt, authentic ways that leave them feeling valued —and eager to give again.

Fostering multiple kittens at once is equal parts adorable and overwhelming. It’s a kitten pile of purring, meowing, wrestling, sneezing, climbing, and pooping — often all at the same time. But with the right setup, strategies, and mindset, you can manage the chaos and create a safe, loving environment where each kitten can thrive.

Kittens who aren’t in immediate danger may be safer where they are, at least for a short time. Many shelters simply don’t have space, staff, or foster homes to safely care for them — and euthanasia is sometimes the heartbreaking result when animals are brought in who didn’t actually need to be removed from their environment. So how do you know what to do?

When temperatures soar, outdoor animals suffer quietly — often with no escape from the relentless heat. Whether it's community cats living in feral colonies or wildlife trying to survive in your backyard, summer heatwaves can be deadly without a little help from compassionate humans. Here’s how you can be their lifeline during extreme heat.

One of the biggest questions new kitten parents have is: “How often should I clean the litter box?” The answer: Probably more often than you think. Especially with kittens.

At Esther Neonatal Kitten Alliance, we knew we needed to offer around-the-clock support to our foster parents — but we also knew that burning out our staff wasn’t an option. So, we got creative. Here’s how we built a 24/7 foster emergency support system that actually works — and how your rescue or shelter can, too.

If we want to keep saying “yes” to kittens from overcrowded shelters, bottle babies found outside, or kittens in urgent need of medical help, we have to make sure that adoptable animals are seen, noticed, and chosen. Adoptions are the engine that keeps the rescue machine running. So when things slow down? We have to adjust.

At Esther Neonatal Kitten Alliance, we want every adoption to be a success — not just for the kittens, but for you. So here are some key questions to help you decide if now’s the moment to welcome a new furry friend into your life.

Fostering is one of the most powerful ways you can help animals in need, especially during kitten season when shelters and rescues like Esther Neonatal Kitten Alliance are overwhelmed with babies who need urgent care. But if you’re feeling a little nervous, don’t worry — that’s totally normal. Here’s a beginner-friendly breakdown of what to expect when you take in your first foster kittens.

Every spring, the floodgates open: shelters overflow, kittens are found in boxes or backyards, and calls for help come in daily. The only way we can say “yes” to these emergencies is because of the steady, reliable support from our Last Chance Lifeline Coalition — our community of monthly donors.

Foster parents pour their hearts into caring for the tiniest, most fragile lives — and sometimes, despite everything, those lives slip away. At Esther Neonatal Kitten Alliance, we want to say this clearly: You are not alone. You are not a failure. And your love mattered.

Whether your kitten is bold and curious or shy and cautious, here are gentle ways to nurture connection and help them feel like they truly belong — heart, paws, and all.

Rescues like ours can’t do it alone. Shelters can’t do it alone either. But together, we can build a safety net strong enough to catch the most vulnerable lives — from bottle babies to senior cats.

Spaying and neutering are some of the most important — and most misunderstood — procedures in animal rescue. If you're a new adopter or foster parent, it's completely normal to feel nervous about putting a kitten or cat through surgery.