Most YouTubers are known for their beauty tips or performative sense of humor, but I’ve found a YouTuber that stands for something much bigger than that: your community’s tiniest but mightiest—AKA KITTENS!
From early spring to early fall, kitten season floods animal shelters and rescues beyond their means. And, unfortunately, neonatal kittens are one of the top euthanized shelter populations due to the lack of space and round-the-clock manpower these babies need.
*cue Sarah McLachlan’s “I Will Remember You”*
Absolutely heartbreaking, I know. But I hope that tugs at your heart hard enough to make you want to help!
The only way shelters can properly care for young kittens is through fostering. This means that individuals who have gone through some basic training and certification take kittens home and care for them in a more personal setting until the kittens are old enough to be adopted by their forever home!
As heavenly as a house full of kittens sounds, there comes a good deal of commitment and responsibility with the role of foster parent. You need to know how to feed them, how to keep them healthy and comfortable, how to help them go potty (yes, young kittens need help with this) …
But, no fear! Your shelter/foster program typically provides all of the basic supplies, vet care, and training you and your bundle of cuddles might need.
I myself am working my way to becoming a capable kitten foster mom, and part of this process has been researching. I started by browsing the internet and discovering an Instagrammer called @kittenxlady (real name: Hannah Shaw). I mean, it was promising, if only for the kitten content.
Image source: PetSmart Charities
I soon discovered that she has an entire YouTube channel and website dedicated to educating the public on how to take care of kittens of all ages! Her content ranges from live Q&As to instructional information/videos to pure kitty cuteness! Needless to say, I can’t get enough.
Here’s an adorable glimpse into what Kitten Lady does:
I must warn you all, though: she does also discuss the sadder, more realistic side to fostering and animal shelters. Not all kittens are born healthy. Not all kittens make it. But this is the reality we and our kitty comrades are facing.
Kitten Lady’s ultimate goal is to prepare her viewers for the arduous and rewarding task of caring for and nurturing the smallest fighters out there—even if that means talking about illness, digestive processes, and loss.
If you feel like you might be up to the challenge, or are just looking for other ways to get involved in feline welfare, take a look at Kitten Lady’s sites. Even if you decide kitten care is not for you, the knowledge is always useful—you never know when you might stumble upon a helpless fur baby.