With spring time and warmer weather comes kitten season, the time of year when the majority of kittens will be born. Every year, more than 100 unwanted kittens wind up at the Humane Society in need of homes.

Some of these babies will be the result of the unexpected pregnancy of another kitten, because most cat guardians are unaware that cats can become pregnant at an extremely young age.

In fact, a cat can actually get pregnant at just four months old, when she is still a kitten herself.

That means that it is important to get female kittens spayed before they reach that first heat cycle, to avoid unexpected pregnancies. Most kittens can be spayed when they weigh two pounds, which generally happens when they are around eight weeks old. Female kittens that have not been spayed by that time should be kept apart from any male cats until they are spayed. If you have male kittens, you should be getting them neutered at the same weight and age.

Pregnancy and giving birth are not easy for a cat, especially at that young an age and, contrary to some beliefs, there is no benefit to a cat having at least one litter of kittens.

If you’d like to help, consider becoming a foster home for kittens. Learn more about our foster program and how you can help save the lives of the smallest among us.

If you are a Brown County resident and have kittens you need to get spayed or neutered, schedule an appointment with the Brown County Humane Society’s Serving Pets Outreach Team (SPOT) at 812-703-0797 to learn about low-cost options.