Illinois Shelter Swamped by Kittens, Needs Donations Now

In less than 3 days, Winnebago County Animal Services in Rockford, Illinois took in over 80 cats, and now they desperately need donations to help care for them.

Kitten Crisis in Illinois

I think it's safe to say that during the warmer months animal shelters all across Illinois, and even the United States struggle with too many stray animals coming in and not enough room or supplies to properly care for them.

In the last few months, Winnebago County Animal Services in Rockford has hosted several fee-waived adoption events in a desperate attempt to clear their cages, and although they have found hundreds of loving homes for animals in need...more keep coming in needing help.

From Friday, September 27 to Sunday, September 29, Winnebago County Animal Services took in over 80 cats and kittens, leading to cramped cages and a demand for food that far outpaces their supply...

If you are unable to send or drop off canned kitten food to the shelter, you can always made a monetary donation via Paypal at winnebagoanimals.org.

What to Do If You Find Stray Kittens In Need of a Home

Over capacity cat populations at animal shelters is a sad, but common problem at shelters all over the world primarily because many people neglect to get their cats spayed/neutered. If you see or find stray kittens somewhere outdoors, scooping them up and dropping them off at a local animal shelter is actually one of the worst things you can do...especially if they are very young.

According to an article from alleycat.org;

Shelters in general are not good environments for mother cats and kittens. Even in the best of shelters a mother cat can become so stressed that her healthy is affected, as well as her ability to care for her kittens. The shelter environment can also be dangerous for kittens because their immune systems haven’t fully developed, and can easily catch diseases.

The article also says that one of the best things to do when you find stray kittens is to leave them be because the mother is likely nearby. If you notice the mother is not coming back, then bring them to a vet. If they are over 8 weeks old, they will be spade/neutered and often released back outdoors where they have been raised and know how to thrive.