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SAN DIEGO, Aug. 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Kitten Season sounds like a dream come true for many. However, that's not the case for shelters across the country flooded with homeless kittens and cats this time every year. From early spring through fall, shelters with already tight resources feel tremendous strain as their intake of kittens doubles. Petco is working to reduce these effects and help save the lives of kittens nationwide by spreading awareness this Kitten Season.

"The solution to saving lives is the local community taking an active role to help these precious kittens by fostering or adopting; that is the reason we're committed to spreading awareness and helping these shelters save lives," said Susanne Kogut, executive director of the Petco Foundation. "Through programs like our 'Be a Lifesaver' campaign – which raised more than $2.3 million last month – and supporting people who tirelessly put their love into action by helping animals, we're confident that our collaborative efforts are making an immediate, lifesaving impact on animals."

More than half of the pet parents surveyed by Petco were unaware that Kitten Season even exists. What's worse, Petco's survey found that 67% of respondents were surprised to learn about the intense burden and expense shelters face caring for these kittens in the summer months. While caring for large numbers of kittens in the shelter environment can be challenging, caring for a litter of kittens in your home can be a wonderful family project that teaches compassion and fills your summer with kitten love and fun kitten antics. Here's what you need to know:  

• Now's the Time to Adopt: More than 3.2 million cats enter shelters each year. At two months old, after kittens have been spayed or neutered and vaccinated, it's time to find their forever home. Petco's July survey found that almost 74% of respondents desire to adopt a cat as a companion for their dog or cat, and 77% would consider adopting more than one kitten at a time.
• Become a Pet Foster Parent: Want to help but not ready to commit? Only 5% of survey respondents are registered foster parents with an animal welfare group. Last month, Petco, together with the Petco Foundation, hosted "Be a Foster" events at stores across the country, partnering with local animal welfare organizations to share details about fostering, demonstrate how to care for bottle-feeding kittens and take applications for foster families. Contact your local shelter or rescue group to learn more about becoming a foster parent for animals in need.
• Volunteer at a Local Shelter: More kittens means the need for more hands on deck. Shelters are always looking for volunteers willing to clean habitats, do laundry or do the dirty work…like cuddling and caring for tiny kittens! Ask your local shelter what you can do to help them during the busy months. 
• Donate Kitten Supplies: Resources are already stretched to their limits at shelters and rescue groups. The challenge becomes even more difficult to manage when they are inundated with homeless kittens. Kitten supplies such as feeding bottles, powdered kitten milk replacer, canned kitten food, kitchen scales that measure in ounces, microwavable heating pads and discs and kitty litter can be donated to your local shelter. Be sure to contact your local shelter first to find out what's needed most.

For more ways to make Kitten Season better for shelters and cats alike, visit Petco.com/kitten.

*Source: Petco Research Panel (July 2017)

About Petco and the Petco Foundation
With more than 50 years of service to pet parents, Petco is a leading pet specialty retailer that focuses on nurturing powerful relationships between people and pets. We do this by providing the products, services, advice and experiences that keep pets physically fit, mentally alert, socially engaged and emotionally happy. Everything we do is guided by our vision for Healthier Pets. Happier People. Better World. We operate more than 1,500 Petco and Unleashed by Petco locations across the U.S., Mexico and Puerto Rico; prescription services and pet supplies from the leading veterinary-operated pet product supplier, Drs. Foster & Smith; digitally-delivered pet health advice through PetCoach; and petco.com. The Petco Foundation, an independent nonprofit organization, has invested more than $185 million since it was created in 1999 to help promote and improve the welfare of companion animals. In conjunction with the Foundation, we work with and support thousands of local animal welfare groups across the country and, through in-store adoption events, help find homes for more than 400,000 animals every year.

SOURCE Petco