Riverside County cat intake jumps 46% as local rescues battle surge in young kittens

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) - Kitten season is far from over in the Coachella Valley, and local animal rescues say they are seeing the effects of a significant increase in cats entering shelters this year.

Riverside County Department of Animal Services data shows cat intake from January through July 2026 increased by more than 46% compared to the same period last year, amounting to more than 2,500 additional cats.

The overwhelming majority of that increase came from some of the most vulnerable animals shelters handle. About 85% of the increase consisted of stray kittens younger than eight weeks old brought in by members of the public.

“We have a lot of kittens this year. It has been just a crazy kitten season for everybody,” said Maren Ledesma, rescue coordinator for the Adoption Alliance program through Animal Samaritans.

Kitten season can continue into the fall

While people may associate kitten season with the spring and early summer, rescuers say Southern California's warmer climate can extend the breeding season much longer.

Deborah Felin-Magaldi, a volunteer and board member with Helen Sanders CatPAWS, said the largest influx typically begins in the spring and can continue through roughly November.

In Southern California's temperate climate, however, kitten births can occur during much of the year.

Cats can also begin reproducing surprisingly young.

Felin-Magaldi said female kittens can become pregnant at roughly four months old. With a gestation period of just over two months, a cat can potentially give birth when she is only about six months old.

That rapid reproductive cycle means one generation of kittens can quickly contribute to another without spay and neuter intervention.

Local groups work to expand spay and neuter efforts

Ledesma said Animal Samaritans is now working to strengthen its trap-neuter-return, or TNR, program while increasing access to spay and neuter services.

TNR programs allow community cats to be humanely trapped, sterilized and vaccinated before being returned to the area where they were found. The goal is to prevent additional litters while allowing existing community cat populations to decline over time.

Ledesma said Animal Samaritans had been working to catch up after limited veterinary staffing and appointment availability made it more difficult to conduct large numbers of spay and neuter procedures.

High-volume sterilization programs require veterinarians capable of performing dozens of procedures in a single day, she said.

Animal Samaritans now offers TNR services every Tuesday and also allows people to schedule appointments. The organization can also provide traps and information to residents who want to participate.

Ledesma said access to those services across the Coachella Valley has recently begun improving as multiple animal organizations expand their spay and neuter programs and work together.

Animal Samaritans also recently received a $100,000 grant that the organization says will help expand spay and neuter efforts in communities across the valley, including services for owned pets.

What should you do if you find kittens?

Rescuers also warn that finding kittens outside does not necessarily mean they have been abandoned.

Both Animal Samaritans and Helen Sanders CatPAWS recommend watching healthy kittens for a period of time before immediately removing them.

Their mother may simply be away looking for food and could return.

“If they are healthy and they seem like they are doing well, especially if they are a kitten, leave them where they are,” Ledesma said. “We do not want to take kittens from moms.”

Felin-Magaldi similarly recommends monitoring the kittens and looking for signs that a mother cat is still caring for them.

If the kittens appear clean, well-fed and relatively calm, that can be an indication their mother is nearby. Very young kittens require frequent feeding and specialized care if their mother does not return.

Once kittens are old enough to be weaned, rescuers say spaying and neutering both the mother and kittens becomes an important step in preventing another litter.

Foster homes still needed

Preventing future births does not solve the immediate challenge for kittens already in shelters and rescues.

Animal Samaritans says it continues to need foster and adoptive homes as organizations work through the ongoing influx.

“We need foster homes. We need adoptive homes. We just need places for these animals to go,” Ledesma said.

Ledesma said fostering does not necessarily require a large home or a major long-term commitment. Even a spare bathroom can provide kittens with a quieter and more comfortable temporary space while also freeing up room at a shelter for another animal in need.

Animal Samaritans says it will continue expanding its spay and neuter efforts across the Coachella Valley as local organizations work to reduce the number of unwanted litters entering shelters in the future.