Kitten Resource Center
Here you will find information and resources for shelter professionals to start a kitten program in your own community or establish a successful foster program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Assessment Guide
What Kitten Program is right for your community? Answer these questions to determine your rescue organizations needs.
Launching a Kitten Nursery
Whether your Kitten Nursery is staffed 24 hours a day or just during normal business hours, you can have a big impact on the lives of the underage kittens in your community. Below is a compilation of protocols, information and learnings from more than 15 years of operating a Kitten Nursery. We hope this helps! If you don't see what you're looking for, email us at [email protected].
Kitten Nursery Protocols
Subcutaneous Fluids
Supplementaion guide for nursery kittens.
Dextrose
A guide for nursery kittens using oral Dextrose.
Community Programs
A little creativity goes a long way. Throw a kitten shower, bring kittens to places of business or start a kitten yoga class to inspire those potential adopters and donors. Community events take some planning, resources and ingenuity to be successful.
Amazon Wish Lists
Kitten Hot Spot Map
Using this Excel spreadsheet and Google Maps, you can easily identify the “kitten hot spots” in your area to target with Trap/Neuter/Return (TNR) and community spay programs. Download instructions
How to create your own Kitten Hot Spot map
- Ask the kitten finder for the exact location (actual street address or a cross street) where orphaned kittens were found.
- Find coordinates of the location (using Google Maps).
- Add coordinates of each litter into an Excel spreadsheet.
- Go to Google Maps.
- Click on Menu Bar in the upper left corner.
- Go to Your Places>Maps>Create Map>Import.
- Import Excel spreadsheet of coordinates.
- Click Finish.
- Hot Spot map produced!
Hold a Virtual Kitten Shower
People love to support kittens! By creating an Amazon registry, you can make it easy for your community to send you exactly what you need for kitten season.
Kitten Kindergarten
Kitten Kindergarten is a three-week training class for kittens who under 13 weeks at the time of the first session. Kitten Kindergarten helps owners learn how to socialize and train their new kitten in hopes of preventing future unwanted behaviors. This class covers positive reinforcement, kitten handling, desensitization to carriers, how to play with your kitten properly and socialization with other cats.
Kitten Crashers
Who couldn't use the interruption of cute kittens in the middle of a boring business meeting? For generous corporate partners, San Diego Humane Society will "Kitten Crash" a business or organization for 30 blissful minutes of a much-needed fur fix!
Starting a Foster Program
Every foster volunteer your organization recruits will opens up space and resources for even more kittens to benefit from your program.
Foster Communication
Our orientation process and foster communications have helped SDHS grow from 950 foster volunteers to 5,095 and counting!
Foster Training Manuals:
Foster training manuals create a reliable, uniform resource for all fosters, helping ensure consistent care and making expectations clear from the start. They give caregivers a quick, go-to reference during assignments, supporting confidence and accuracy. With their easy-to-edit format, manuals can be kept up to date with the latest protocols and tips, making them a living tool that grows with the program.
Foster Website and Blog
WordPress and other content management systems (CMS) make it easier than ever to start of a website and maintain a blog to communicate with your foster volunteers. Sample Website/Blog >
Shared Email Account
SDHS has a shared foster email address, which is monitored by multiple staff members during normal business hours. An "Out of Office Response" is always turned on and provides emergency contact information.
Emergency Guide
An emergency guide provides volunteers with clear, straightforward instructions for managing urgent medical concerns. It helps them assess the severity of the situation and outlines the appropriate steps to take. This resource ensures volunteers feel supported, confident, and prepared to respond quickly when it matters most.
Foster Care Guidelines, Training and Support
- Queen and Kittens
Caring for Queen with Kittens. - Stage One Kittens
Bottle Kittens, 6-7 feedings a day, including overnight feedings. - Stage Two Kittens
Weaning Kittens; bottle five times per day including overnight feedings. - Stage Three Kittens
Weaned kittens with overnight feedings. - Stage Four Kittens
Weaning kittens, bottle three times a day. - Stage Five Kittens
Weaning Kittens, bottle feeding 2 times a day. - Stage Six Kittens
Weaning kittens with one bottle time a day. - Stage Seven Kittens
Wet food only. - Standard Operating Procedure