Overwhelmed by the number of kittens in their care, the Itty Bitty Kitty Committee has been forced to close its doors to any more felines in need.
The Victoria-based charity, which has a network of foster carers that look after sick or orphaned kittens, is appealing to the community for help to raise money to cover the ongoing cost of care for the animals, to enable them to resume normal service as soon as possible.
Currently, there are 60 kittens in the rescue service’s care, with another 23 expected to arrive this week - a commitment the organization made before deciding to pause its service.
“We just can't keep up at that pace,” said Sharon Rubin, who estimates close to 400 kittens and cats have been in their care so far in 2024, a record number for the charity.
“It's sad, because this is the hardest time of year for kittens,” added Rubin, who describes mid-August to the end of September as ‘kitten season’ in Victoria. “So it's really sad to think that at the worst time, the busiest time, we just can't take in any more."
“It's just not responsible to take any more right now, until we can make sure that we can care for them.”
Supporters can help by making a donation, by hosting a fundraising event or by purchasing pet food via the organization’s online vet store.
To help relieve capacity, anyone looking for a kitten should keep an eye on Itty Bitty Kitty’s Facebook page, as a number of animals in their care will soon be ready for adoption.
“Adoption would definitely help,” said Rubin, “because that just frees up some resources to help the next bunch.”
Rubin says she would also welcome administrative help to ensure the network of foster carers are receiving the necessary support and resources they need to care for the kittens.
“Because not only are we running a rescue, which is all volunteer based … we also have the spay and neuter cruiser, so we've got two major projects,” she said. “And when the kitten numbers get high, I feel like I don’t have the capacity to make sure that everybody is getting all the individual attention they need.”
To help combat the rising number of unwanted kittens, the Itty Bitty Kitty Committee recently opened a new low-cost spay and neuter clinic for cats, which has received overwhelming demand.
“I'd love a point in my life where I can work myself out of a job,” said Rubin. “Where there's just basically so many people who can get animals and just have them spayed and neutered, so that we don't have to be that resource to help. That would be amazing.”
To find out more about how to help the Itty Bitty Kitty Committee follow them on Facebook, or visit their website: https://ibkc.ca/.
