Stray kittens strolling in sunrise This post is sponsored by Hill’s. We are being compensated for helping spread the word about Hill’s® Food, Shelter, & Love Program, but Riverfront Cats only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article. Kitten season is upon us and that means shelters will overflow with mews, squeaks and furry pitter patter. DID YOU KNOW... That the heat cycle of a kitten is triggered by longer daylight as the day gets longer? Well in Miami, our sun sets later than the rest of the country by an hour later. This also means that kitten season starts early here and neighborhoods, beach areas witness an explosion of kittens. As foot soldiers for a small local nonprofit rescue organization, we spot them searching for shelter and food. Their little bodies shivering, their bellies swollen. Adult cats and kittens should bask in the sun and their bellies full of tasty, healthy cat food. Cats deserve to bask in the sun At Riverfront Cats, we know shelters alone can not save all the stray kittens. It really takes a village and the coming together of residents, companies, and families to help in some small way or more. And it's happening through the Hill's® Food Shelter and Love Program. KITTEN HEALTH & NUTRITION Stray cats obviously do not benefit from healthy nutrition during pregnancy. Thus kittens may be malnourished and experience health concerns later in life. This is why when rescuing the mother cat and her kittens and bringing them indoors, we feed them high quality pet nutrition like Hill's® Science Diet® Kitten Healthy Development. Mama cat will enjoy adult cat food that may include brown rice for healthy digestion, fresh chicken or natural salmon to keep fit and trim. Hill's has standards--quality protein as the first ingredient and no chicken by-products, no artificial colors, and MADE IN USA! This is very important to us. Rescuing the kittens and feeding them healthy kitten food is half the work. The other half is nurturing the kittens and finding them long-term homes. Animal shelters, especially county-run shelters and small nonprofit organizations rely on volunteers like you to accomplish the latter goals. HOW YOU CAN HELP At Riverfront Cats we have a proven formula for getting kittens adopted within six months or less. But it takes a village, consistency and persistence. Volunteers are a key role. You can help by: - Fostering. This is perhaps the most impactful way to help. A kitten cared for by humans will have an easier time getting adopted. They are more socialized, confident, playful, loving, etc. Our secret--playing and talking to the kitten like any child. Kittens thrive with positive stimulation. Petting them, playing alongside with cat toys is a great form of bonding and socializing. Also, by using simple words repetitively, kittens learn communication skills fast. Adopters are amazed at our foster kittens' understanding of words and commands and how they respond through their own pitch of meows or actions (body language). The caretakers witness their unique personality emerge that help us "advertise them" by telling their story. Stories sell. This is more powerful than just a cute, rambunctious two month old kitten. Adopters want to know if their kitty is active, zany, a cuddler, a lover or a cat burglar. Bebe, Michael Jackson and Geisha (siblings) all named based on their personality and attributes. Michael Jackson did the moon walk! -Taking high quality photos. We can not stress this enough. This is part of the story telling. A photograph or video that captures the kitten's attributes and behavior like stealing your jewelry or clothes--a fashionista thief! Yes, one of our rescue cats was caught stealing fashion apparel in the middle of the night. A tuxedo kitty! No wonder. Geisha, a rescue Riverfront cat, was caught stealing clothes from her human mother's closet -Taking kittens to pet adoption events. Naturally you are marketing the kitten in hopes of getting him/her adopted. But if they are not readily adopted, there is another advantage to this task. Traveling in a car and interacting with people regularly helps increase the chance that the kitten will easily warm up to visitors in the home or outings. In some cases you can train your cat to be a therapy cat, an actor/actress cat, a modeling cat (for movies, commercials, advertisements). - Sharing photos and stories on social media and digital technology. We are all connected either via text messaging, email, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter...pick your outlet and share photos and stories. It's too easy! At Riverfront Cats we have rescued many stray cats and kittens and placed them in loving homes. On a larger scale, Hill's has provided pet food to over 800 shelters every year. And you have helped nurture the kittens, preparing them for a permanent home. We rescue, volunteers foster, Hill's provides nutrition. A proven winning formula. It really works. Let's take it to the next level to reverse the staggering rate of homeless adult cats and kittens. Join us!