When spring hits Pullman, it is not just the flowers and wheat that bloom—so does the feline population.
Female cats are seasonally polyestrous, meaning they go into heat multiple times a year, specifically during warmer and longer daylight months. That is why animal shelters across the world — including Whitman County —brace for the annual surge known as kitten season.
One cat can have up to three litters a year, with a handful of kittens in each litter. Unspayed feral and free-roaming cats can contribute significantly to the overwhelming influx of kittens in the spring and summer months.
Whitman County spans 2,178 square miles. Open prairies with sparse populations mean litter can go unnoticed. On top of that, pet dumping remains an issue in the area, making it even harder for organizations to keep up with the growing need for shelter space and care.
While “kitten season” is a commonly used term, some experts argue that it is a bit misleading. According to North Shore Animal League America, cats can and do breed year-round, which makes the problem of overpopulation even more urgent and complex. That is why many organizations, including the Whitman County Humane Society, emphasize the Trap-Neuter-Return program as a long-term solution.
Trap-Neuter-Return involves humanely trapping feral or free-roaming animals, spaying or neutering them, then releasing them back to their territories to live without contributing to overpopulation. By addressing reproduction at its source, TNR helps reduce the number of animals born into already overwhelmed shelters and communities.
WCHS shelter manager Ellie Barnes wants to change misconceptions about not fixing animals and the realities of shelter overpopulation.
“It’s not that they can’t get pregnant during the winter — they will. It’s just more common during this time of year that they are,” Barnes said. “Although this season has lasted longer than what typically used to. When I started, I was told it would go from about May to August or so. Our first pregnant cat came in January this year.”
But the Humane Society is not doing it alone. With the help of volunteers from the community and WSU, fosters can help shelters in times of stress.
“A lot of our fosters are college students. I think that there are a lot of students who are aware of the fact that they are not in the place to get an animal, so they want to come in and foster for the time that they are at school,” Barnes said.
Barnes said it is important to fix animals, which is one of the key factors of being a responsible pet owner.
“Maintain your animals,” she said. “I think that spaying and neutering is the most important part of that, because baby kittens are really cute until you calculate the fact that every one of those baby kittens is going to need to be spayed or neutered.”
Even on days the shelter is closed to the public, WCHS workers continue efforts to get animals adopted.
Rachel Hanson, WCHS employee and WSU alum, spends those days at Petco in Moscow showcasing cats.
“Even when we’re closed on Thursday, we can still potentially have cats go home, which is great,” Hanson said.
As kitten season continues to stretch beyond spring and summer, the work never slows down. With the help of community support, fosters and programs like TNR, the Humane Society is doing everything it can to keep up — one litter at a time.
