City of San Jose, CA
03/09/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/09/2026 17:17
CORRECTION - NEWS RELEASE: Kitten Season Officially Underway at the San José Animal Care Center
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT
Gilbert Martinez, Public Information Manager, Public Works Department
408-307-1661, [email protected]
"Helping shelter pets find their forever homes is the priority of the San José Animal Care Center," said City Manager Jennifer Maguire. "By being prepared for the influx of kittens, and to prevent overcrowding at the shelter, it is critically important that staff, rescue partners, and fosters are ready and properly trained. This will help to create an overall better environment for all animals in our care."
This seasonal rise in intake increases the need for shelter resources, staff support, and foster volunteers who help care for the young kittens until they are ready for adoption. Many kittens arrive in the community from outdoor litters, often with a mother who is actively caring for them.
"Our shelter works to help every animal that comes through our doors, and during the height of kitten season, every San Joséan can make a big impact," said Mayor Matt Mahan. "When residents step up to adopt or foster, they help kittens right away and expand our shelter's capacity to care for more animals safely and effectively."
Research and professional experience show that community cats thrive best in their natural environment, and unnecessary intervention can cause stress or harm. The San José Animal Care Center encourages residents to follow these science-based practices when encountering outdoor kittens:
In preparation for kitten season, shelter staff, rescue partners, and community members participated in workshops led by award-winning advocate Hannah Shaw, the "Kitten Lady," on Friday, March 6, and Saturday, March 7. The workshops included two sessions-one for staff and rescue partners, and one for the public-covering a variety of topics including humane care for outdoor cats and practical skills for raising young kittens.
The workshops are part of San José Animal Care and Services' ongoing efforts to educate the community directly support audit recommendations 1, 2, 4a, 4c, 5, and 6a in the San José Animal Care and Services Audit Report by strengthening staff training, standardizing best practices, expanding foster and rescue capacity, and reducing length of stay.
For more information on kitten care, please visit bit.ly/FoundKittens_SanJose.
For more information on the San José Animal Care Center or to book a TNR appointment, please visit bit.ly/AdoptAPetACS.
About the City of San José
With almost 1 million residents, San José is one of the most diverse large cities in the United States, Northern California's largest city, and the 12th largest city in the nation. San José's transformation into a global innovation center has resulted in one of the largest concentrations of technology companies and expertise in the world.
CONTACT
Gilbert Martinez, Public Information Manager, Public Works Department
408-307-1661, [email protected]
Kitten Season Officially Underway at the San José Animal Care Center
SAN JOSE, Calif. (March 9, 2026) - Kitten season is officially underway at the San José Animal Care Center, marking the time of year when shelters across the region see a significant increase in the number of newborn and young kittens entering their care. In the months ahead, between 2,000 to 2,500 kittens are expected to come into the shelter."Helping shelter pets find their forever homes is the priority of the San José Animal Care Center," said City Manager Jennifer Maguire. "By being prepared for the influx of kittens, and to prevent overcrowding at the shelter, it is critically important that staff, rescue partners, and fosters are ready and properly trained. This will help to create an overall better environment for all animals in our care."
This seasonal rise in intake increases the need for shelter resources, staff support, and foster volunteers who help care for the young kittens until they are ready for adoption. Many kittens arrive in the community from outdoor litters, often with a mother who is actively caring for them.
"Our shelter works to help every animal that comes through our doors, and during the height of kitten season, every San Joséan can make a big impact," said Mayor Matt Mahan. "When residents step up to adopt or foster, they help kittens right away and expand our shelter's capacity to care for more animals safely and effectively."
Research and professional experience show that community cats thrive best in their natural environment, and unnecessary intervention can cause stress or harm. The San José Animal Care Center encourages residents to follow these science-based practices when encountering outdoor kittens:
- Observe first: Many kittens have mothers nearby and do best when left in place. Watch quietly from a distance-if you stay too close, the mother may not return. Monitor four to six hours before intervening.
- Kittens should be brought in if they are sick, injured, in immediate danger, or if the mother does not return after several hours of observation from a distance.
- If intervention is necessary, keep kittens safe while waiting. Provide warmth and quiet, and minimize handling, especially for newborns.
- Participate in Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs, volunteer, foster, or donate to help maintain healthy outdoor cat populations.
- Spay or neuter kittens once they reach six weeks of age. Kittens old enough for veterinary care are usually returned to their colony. Kittens that can be socialized may be adopted. TNR appointments can be scheduled through the ACS webpage.
In preparation for kitten season, shelter staff, rescue partners, and community members participated in workshops led by award-winning advocate Hannah Shaw, the "Kitten Lady," on Friday, March 6, and Saturday, March 7. The workshops included two sessions-one for staff and rescue partners, and one for the public-covering a variety of topics including humane care for outdoor cats and practical skills for raising young kittens.
The workshops are part of San José Animal Care and Services' ongoing efforts to educate the community directly support audit recommendations 1, 2, 4a, 4c, 5, and 6a in the San José Animal Care and Services Audit Report by strengthening staff training, standardizing best practices, expanding foster and rescue capacity, and reducing length of stay.
For more information on kitten care, please visit bit.ly/FoundKittens_SanJose.
For more information on the San José Animal Care Center or to book a TNR appointment, please visit bit.ly/AdoptAPetACS.
About the City of San José
With almost 1 million residents, San José is one of the most diverse large cities in the United States, Northern California's largest city, and the 12th largest city in the nation. San José's transformation into a global innovation center has resulted in one of the largest concentrations of technology companies and expertise in the world.
# # #
City of San Jose, CA published this content on March 09, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on March 09, 2026 at 23:17 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]