Special Supplies Needed for Kitten Season

Mar. 13, 2026

Spring marks the start of "kitten season," but 2026 is set to be a record-breaker. We project over 2,000 kittens will enter our care in FY 2026 — doubling our typical intake from many prior years. Many of these kittens arrive without mothers and require 24/7 care, including consistent warming and specialized feeding to survive. 

Can you help by donating important supplies or volunteering to foster?

Special Supplies to Save Kittens

While everyone loves an adorable kitten, kitten season can be a trying time for shelter staff and volunteers. It comes as an influx of animals to the shelter who require more care and attention than most other animals to thrive and survive.

Young kittens separated from their mother are most at-risk. They require consistent warming, round-the-clock syringe feeding with a special Powdered Milk Replacer formula using special Miracle Nipple syringes, transitioning to bottles. 

Having foster volunteers and the right supplies on hand makes all the difference to save lives, and prepare kittens for adoption. One of the most crucial supplies is needed when it’s time for kittens to wean from milk or formula- a special Royal Canin canned mousse wet food that’s soft, appealing, and effective to support kitten health.. 

To support kitten fosters, Animal Services is seeking donations of essential feeding supplies:

  • Royal Canin - Ultra soft mousse canned kitten food
  • Miracle Nipple syringes
  • Nurser Bottles
  • Powdered Kitten Milk Replacer
  • Warming Pads

Donate Feeding Supplies to Support Kittens from our Amazon Wishlist

Limited Kitten Intake - Numbers Growing

Even with intake criteria for kittens limited to sick and at-risk cases, the number of kittens brought to Multnomah County Animal Services is projected to be over 2,000 kittens in 2026 - double the amount normally received in previous years! Last year, in FY 2025, Animal Services received 1,730 kittens, many without a mother, needing special feeding and warming support to survive.

What to do if you find kittens

Thank you for supporting kittens at Multnomah County Animal Services

Tags
Donation Opportunity
Foster
Shelter Care
Volunteer
a neonatal kitten being held up for an identifying photo at intake
A neonatal kitten at intake
A graph of kitten intake from FY 2018 to FY 2025, and a projection for FY 2026. The graph shows a consistent growth in recent years, from just over 1,000 kittens per year, to over 1,700 kittens in FY 2025
A graph of kitten intake from FY 2018 to FY 2025, and a projection for FY 2026. The graph shows a consistent growth in recent years, from just over 1,000 kittens per year, to over 1,700 kittens in FY 2025

Foster

Unable to volunteer at the shelter? Want animal companionship, but not ready to adopt? You can help shelter animals from the comfort of your own home as a foster volunteer. Learn how to get started.
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Bottle-baby kitten feeding

Ways to Donate

There are many ways to donate to support the animals. You can make a monetary donation on our website, donate a vehicle, or needed items from our shelter wish list of supplies.
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Kitten looking over the steering wheel of a car