Kitten season is fast approaching, and Peaches Bonnema knows she’ll soon get a call to help out with the little furballs.

Bonnema, a volunteer foster for the South Suburban Humane Society in Matteson, said kitten season starts in early spring, when unspayed cats become pregnant and area shelters get swamped with young animals that are especially needy.

It’s also a time when shelters put out a call for more foster volunteers to give the kittens the special care they need to get them ready for adoption.

“I wish people knew how rewarding fostering is,” said Bonnema, who has fostered both dogs and cats, and has ended up keeping several. “I know a lot of people tell me they couldn’t do it because giving (them) up is so hard, which it is, but it provides the shelter the space so they can accept more.

“And we give them a chance to survive.”

Like many who are expecting a baby, or many babies in this case, South Suburban Humane Society is throwing a shower. The Kitten Shower & Cat Café is a way to introduce people to the needs of kittens, gain donations of the items that kittens need and attract future fosterers. There will also be light refreshments and the chance to meet shelter kittens.

The event is from noon to 4 p.m. March 7 at the shelter, 21800 Central Ave. in Matteson. It’s free for those who bring items from the donations list.

That list includes kitten milk replacer powder, digital scales, playpens, Purina Kitten Chow, warming discs, pate-style moist cat food, small blankets, non-clumping litter, cat toys, and more.

Mika Carten, director of Impact at SSHS, said kitten season has gotten longer each year.

“There are so many stray cats and so many of them giving birth,” said Carten. “A lot of people see them outside and say, ‘Oh, there’s a lot of stray kittens sitting here, let me bring them to a shelter.” Carten added people may not realize the mom cat is nearby.

A kitten looks out from a windowed space in 2022 at South Suburban Humane Society in Matteson. With “kitten season” rapidly approaching, shelter officials are putting out a call for help and supplies to deal with an expected influx of young cats. (Bill Jones/Daily Southtown)

Carten added the economy can make it hard to adopt or even foster, so SSHS offers as many supplies as possible.

“People are stretched so thin nowadays, it’s hard to commit to a month of care, which is why events like this mean so much,” said Carten.

It also gives shelter staff and volunteers a chance to talk to people about the needs of kittens and how fosters can help.

“The donations mean the world to us and it’s a great opportunity for some of our fosters to connect with folks and say how helpful it is to be able to foster,” said Carten. “We really would not be able to handle the hundreds of kittens who come into our care without their help and support.”

Jordan Chapman, development manager for SSHS, said the shelter takes in 5,000 cats yearly and more than half are kittens.

Fostering kittens requires feeding them from bottles every few hours and then making sure they’re eating enough and gaining weight, keeping them warm and giving them enough TLC, according to volunteers and staff.

A kitten awaits food in 2024 at South Suburban Humane Society, where food donations are always needed. (South Suburban Humane Society)

Chapman said the warming discs, which are heated in the microwave, are especially helpful to the newborns.

“It really helps in creating that mom aspect of warmth,” said Chapman, adding they’re safer than a heating pad. “They’re quite the thing.”

Bonnema will be on hand at the shower to answer questions on fostering.

“It’s a fun event,” said Bonnema, who has done it before. “I like seeing the community come out and support the shelter.”

Janice Neumann is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown. 

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/03/south-suburban-humane-society-kitten-shower/