Every once in a while, we make a decision that can feel a little inconvenient from the outside: We close to the public for a day. And while it may look like “just cleaning,” these days are actually some of the most important life-saving days we have all year.

He was found alone in a ditch — just a tiny, fragile kitten with no mom in sight. At three weeks old, he should have been steadily growing, curious, and beginning to explore the world. Instead, he weighed what a five-day-old kitten should weigh.

Bringing your first foster kittens home is equal parts exciting, overwhelming, and deeply rewarding. You’re stepping into a role that quite literally saves lives — and while that’s an incredible thing, it’s also important to know what you’re walking into. If you’ve ever wondered, “Can I really do this?” — this guide is for you.

Can a cat get pregnant while nursing? It's one of the most common questions we get — and the answer surprises a lot of people.

At Esther Neonatal Kitten Alliance, we’ve learned something important over the years: the most powerful lifesaving work happens before the first emergency intake of the season.

Every kitten season, well-meaning people accidentally separate kittens from their mother because they assume they’ve been abandoned. The truth is, most of the time, they haven’t. Here’s exactly what to do.

The kitten crisis isn’t just a shelter problem. It’s a community problem. And that means it’s also a community solution.

Kittens under five weeks old are the most vulnerable animals to enter a shelter system — and often the least equipped to survive there without immediate, specialized intervention. Understanding why helps explain both the heartbreaking statistics around neonatal kitten survival and why rescue partnerships are so critical.

Feeding feels like the fastest way to help — and like the most loving response in a crisis. But in neonatal kitten care, acting on that instinct can do far more harm than good.