The Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission says its West Milwaukee shelter is “bursting at the seams,” with staff juggling care for about 280 cats and kittens and roughly 140 dogs as volunteers and foster homes scramble to keep up.
In a July 16 Facebook post, MADACC put out an urgent call for wet cat and kitten food along with other basics, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The outlet reports the shelter had actually run out of canned cat and kitten food before the plea went up, and staff warned that even a 24-pack of wet food will not keep a single room of cats fed for a full day.
MADACC, which handles animal care and control services throughout Milwaukee County, lists its West Milwaukee address, adoption hours and volunteer and foster information on its website, along with detailed resources for neonatal kittens. According to MADACC, the shelter provides formula, bottles, warming disks and training to short term foster caregivers so very young kittens have a shot at surviving until they are old enough for adoption.
Kitten Season Swells Shelter Populations
“Kitten season,” the spring through fall surge in feline births, routinely overwhelms municipal shelters and spikes demand for wet food, milk replacer and foster homes. National groups say the season typically runs from March through October, and that fostering and wishlists can be the difference between life and death for newborn kittens. The ASPCA has repeatedly urged communities to sign up as kitten fosters and to donate nursery supplies during this stretch.
Local Response and Donations
MADACC spokeswoman Kate Hartlund told the Journal Sentinel that donations “flooded in” the day after the Facebook appeal, but staff say supplies are still cycling out almost as fast as they arrive. Hartlund said she received roughly 85 to 90 email notifications from Chewy showing donations on the way, highlighting how online wishlists can speed up community support, according to the paper. Even with that response, shelter workers say kitten appropriate wet food and foster homes remain at the top of the wish list.
How to Help
People who want to pitch in can donate through MADACC’s online wishlists or ship items directly to the shelter. High priority needs include wet kitten pouches, cases of canned food and KMR milk replacer. MADACC’s Chewy wishlist lists specific products and quantities, and the shelter’s website posts current drop off and adoption hours for anyone who prefers to bring supplies in person, along with volunteer and foster sign up details. Taking on a temporary foster placement or adopting an older cat helps free up kennel space and keeps animals moving through the system more quickly.
Staff members say every effort, from a single case of wet food to a weekend foster stay, helps turn an overflowing kennel into space for the next animal that shows up at the door. For people who find very young kittens, MADACC advises checking its lost and found guidance and coordinating directly with the shelter so neonatal animals receive the specialized care they often need.
