The holidays bring twinkling lights, cozy vibes, and lots of seasonal cheer — but for kittens, December can be a risky time of year.

Saving a neonatal kitten is one of the most rewarding things you can do. It’s also one of the hardest. And for many shelters across the country, it’s simply something they cannot do alone.

Bringing a new pet into your home is exciting — whether it’s a kitten joining your senior cat, a playful puppy meeting your resident cat, or two adult cats learning to share space for the first time. But with all that excitement comes one big, common mistake that can derail the whole process: Introducing pets too quickly.