**Purr-fect Storm: Collier County Animal Services Issues Urgent Call for Kitten Foster Homes**
**NAPLES, Fla.** – Collier County Domestic Animal Services (DAS) is issuing an urgent plea to the community this week as it faces a critical overflow of its most vulnerable population: kittens.
A significant and sudden surge in the intake of neonatal and juvenile kittens, ranging from just a few weeks to two months old, has pushed the shelter’s capacity to its limit. This seasonal influx, often referred to as “kitten season,” is in full swing, but this year’s numbers are particularly high, creating an urgent need for temporary foster homes.
“We are in a situation where our kennels are full, and we have litters of kittens that are too young for adoption,” explained Marissa M. Torres, Community Outreach Coordinator for Collier DAS. “These babies are incredibly vulnerable. A shelter environment, no matter how well-run, is not the ideal place for them to grow and thrive. What they desperately need is the safety and comfort of a home.”
Foster volunteers provide a vital lifeline for these kittens. By taking them in temporarily, fosters not only free up crucial space in the shelter but also socialize the kittens, prepare them for life in a family, and monitor their health in a low-stress environment. This dramatically increases their chances of finding a permanent, loving home when they are old enough to be spayed or neutered and put up for adoption.
Understanding that not everyone has experience caring for such young animals, Collier DAS ensures all foster volunteers are fully supported.
“We provide everything a foster parent needs to be successful,” Torres emphasized. “That includes comprehensive training on bottle feeding, socialization, and basic care. We also supply all the necessary food, formula, litter, bedding, and medical care. Our foster team is on call 24/7 for any questions or concerns. You provide the love and the safe space; we provide the rest.”
The commitment can be as short as a few weeks or until the kittens reach two months of age and two pounds in weight, the standard for being eligible for adoption.
Animal lovers who are unable to foster are still encouraged to help. The shelter is always in need of donations of kitten formula (KMR), wet and dry kitten food, cat toys, and clean blankets and towels. Sharing the call for help on social media is also a powerful way to amplify the message.
For those with a little extra space in their home and heart, answering this call to action could be a lifesaving act.
“Fostering is one of the most rewarding experiences,” Torres said. “You are quite literally saving a life and setting them up for a bright future. Our community has always stepped up for our animals, and we are hopeful they will again now.”
Interested residents can find more information and apply to become a foster volunteer on the Collier County Domestic Animal Services website or by contacting their foster program directly.
