'Kitten season': P.E.I. Humane Society in need of special food donations

The Prince Edward Island Humane Society is asking the public for special food donations as an increasing number of kittens comes through its doors.

The society posted on its Facebook page on Thursday, saying it was in need of kitten food. Kim MacKay is one of the people who answered the call.

"I just saw it on Facebook and I couldn't imagine the poor cats not having any food!" MacKay said as she dropped off some food donations at the shelter.

Only an hour or two after making the post, the society received about 40 pounds of kitten food in its donation bin, said Ashley MacLeod, development and communications co-ordinator with the organization. But more food is needed.

"Unfortunately, we currently have 97 kittens in our care, between kittens here in the building and kittens that are in foster care. So 40 pounds of food doesn't last as long as we would like it to," MacLeod said. 

According to MacLeod, those 97 kittens are in addition to the approximately 100 kittens that have already come through the shelter this year.

'A lot of mouths to feed'

Sometime between May to November every year is "kitten season," when many litters are born, said MacLeod. She said about 250 to 400 kittens will come to through their doors in this period of time. 

"Those are a lot of mouths to feed," she said.

MacLeod said kittens need both wet and dry food, and the dry food needs to be sized small enough for kittens to handle.

"The process is almost like a weaning process to get the kittens to the point where they can eat hard food. So they start on a kitten milk replacement if their mother isn't able or isn't present to feed them, and then they'll go to a soft food portion and then they will slowly transition to kibble or hard food."

According to MacLeod, food shortages happen from time to time — and that's when the society turns to the public.

There are regular donors to the P.E.I. Humane Society who often respond to social media call outs for donations, but the shelter can always use more donors, MacLeod said. 

"Food donors specifically are really helpful for daily operations. But … anything from making homemade blankets to supplying toys to going on our Amazon wish list and seeing what we need and sending us a parcel."

MacLeod said she hopes they'll be able to continue accepting every kitten that comes to the shelter.

"As long as we know we can feed them and care for them, we're happy."

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