Where to Get a Kitten

Jan 2003

My old kitty I've had for almost 20 years just died, leaving a sad empty space in the house. Not only do I need something fuzzy around, but the two kids really want to each get a kitten. It used to be really easy to find one in Berkeley - just go to the Co-op and find people with boxes of them waiting for adoptive parents - but nowadays, I'm not sure how to go about it. Where can you find kittens to adopt that aren't already grown up? All the rescue organizations seem to have older animals mostly, and I want to get two kittens at once.

Hi -- check out some of the local shelters, such as the Oakland SPCA (located fairly near the Oakland Airport), the East Bay Humane Society (in West Berkeley) or the Oakland Animal Shelter (downtown Oakland, I believe). You might call them first and/or check their web sites for more info. They all have tons of animals yearning for good lives -- and if they don't have kittens today, they might likely have them soon (there is, unfortunately, a never-ending supply of lonely animals in need of good homes). Lisa

There are kitty adoptions every Sunday at noon/1PM in front of the Pet Food Express in the shopping center up on the hill in Montclair Village - Mountain Blvd. It is run by a group of women who save feral cats and kittens, get them their shots, and spay or neuter them as needed. They have many older cats but often litters of kittens as well. Good luck. I know how it is to miss your old friend! Alison

So sorry that you lost you cat. When our cat died I couldn't stand the empty house and the clean hairless floors. I only lasted a few weeks before I started looking around and like you didn't see a lot of actual kittens. Apparently cats have a breeding season and there are many more kittens around in the spring if I remember correctly, but there are some now. Second Chance Cat Rescue in Alameda specializes in the rescue of kittens. Their number is (510) 865-2802.

Best to call ahead for an appt. Be prepared. The cats are mostly all loose in a couple of rooms, it can be overwhelming because they all want your attention. It's nice because they are much better socialized than the caged cats, but if one cat gets sick they all can catch it. It's run by one woman and as many volunteers as she can get. Good luck! Natalie

I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your cat. As far as kittens go, you may have heard by now that this is not ''kitten season''. Most kittens are born in the Spring, with many cats also having second litters in the Fall, but Spring is your best bet. If your kids are old enough to handle very young kittens, you may want to consider fostering a litter for any of the SPCA's or rescue organizations in the area. Usually by early spring they desperately need foster homes for underage (under 8 weeks) kittens, sometimes with the mother also. Many are sick (most commonly URI, which is treatable w/meds that they will provide for you), so there is a real commitment involved. The best part is that you would be able to see if there were 2 kittens that you bonded with and then you'd be first in line for adopting them. This would be a good option if your kids are old enough to handle the responsibility, and you would find kittens sooner than if you wait til full-on kitten season arrives. Even if you don't bond with any, you are providing a much-needed service, and it can be a very fun and rewarding experience, and it could then tide you over til kitten season. You should have no problem whatsoever finding kittens in any shelter or rescue org (eg. Hopalong, ARF, Milo) by April. One other thing to consider--sometimes it is best not to adopt 2 very young littermates as some have a tendency to bond with each other more than with their people. You may want to consider 2 unrelated kittens, or get one forst and the second one a little later. Best of luck to you! Tracy

A great place to find kittens is at the Berkeley Humane Society near 9th & Carleton streets in Berkeley. Usually there are more kittens in the spring when cats seem to have babies and people bring them in for adoption.

We found both our kittens by letting family & friends know we were looking for them and both our beautiful Persian type cats were homeless kittens that our family members found either on the street or through word of mouth. Good luck. Mabille