As temperatures in the Las Vegas valley begin to rise, signaling the arrival of spring, Nevada SPCA will begin to brace itself for the influx of kittens arriving at the shelter.
This year, Nevada SPCA is “ready for the kittens” and will be able to support an even larger number of kittens through a gift of support from the Churu Vet Feline Fund.
Nevada SPCA is one of five shelters receiving $10,000 in funding which will save the lives of cats in our care.
The Churu Vet Feline Fund was designed to help animal shelters across the country with the cost of caring for cats. Nevada SPCA has utilized this funding to build a kitten intake nursery to treat cats and kittens immediately for life-threatening conditions before transport to local partnering veterinary clinics. The nursery includes large incubators, nebulizers, and fluid pumps so intravenous fluids can be given immediately upon intake which will ultimately reduce the mortality rate among kittens.
Kitten season in Las Vegas typically begins in March and runs through early fall. Often times kitten litters are surrendered to the shelter after being found outdoors. However, it is important for our community to be aware not to separate kittens from their mothers.
Many good Samaritans come to Nevada SPCA with kittens that have been found on the streets and many of those kittens are healthy and should remain with their mothers. If found kittens appear dry, clean, and have round bellies, they should be left alone: their mother cat offers the best chance for survival and is likely to be out hunting. Continue to check on them every several hours to ensure that they remain healthy. If a lone kitten is found but appears healthy, the mother cat could be in the process of moving her kittens, and it is best to leave the kitten outside and check on it again after a few hours.
If kittens appear healthy but are in an unsafe place such as near a busy road, construction site, storm drain, or any other dangerous location, it would be appropriate to intervene. If kittens appear cold, wet, injured, thin, or have pale gums, they are in distress and require human assistance. Wrap them in a towel or blanket and bring them immediately to Nevada SPCA; you do not require an appointment for stray kittens.
For additional information call (702) 873-7722 or visit their website. Regular hours of operation are Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Adoptions by appointment only.
