Purrfect Pals

Sharing my love of cats and kittens, the importance of spaying and neutering your pets, how to care for cats in your neighborhood, and why spaying and neutering is the best way to show you love them.

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"community cats infographic" by Valerie Calvillo is licensed under CC-BY-ND 2.0

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"6-week-old kittens" by Valerie Calvillo is licensed under CC-BY-ND 2.0

This was the first litter of kittens I fostered in March 2020, shortly after the pandemic began. One morning, while working from home, I heard faint little meows coming from my backyard. I went outside to look and found four kittens, which looked to be around 4 weeks old, hiding in the back of my garage. They were dirty, but plump and otherwise healthy, which meant their mom had taken great care of them. I knew I had to take them in, get them examined by a veterinarian, and begin their socialization process to get them used to human touch and interaction.

I did not know what to do at first. I had my own cats, but I never had kittens this young. Millions of thoughts ran through my mind as I scooped them up and put them in a box. Do they still need milk? Do I give them kitten food? Will their mom miss them? I began researching and got a lot of valuable information from Kitten Lady, Hannah Shaw, which helped me tremendously.

Because of this litter pictured here, my love for cats grew immensely, as did my desire to help care for the community cats in my neighborhood who cannot live indoors, as they are unsocialized. This page will help provide information for kitten and cat care, debunk the stigma that outdoor community cats have, and share the importance of why spaying or neutering your cat is the best way to show you love them.