ARL of Iowa opens nursery to care for kittens in need
May is known as the first kitten season of the year 鈥 when we see the birth of new little, fuzzy, adorable creatures.
But some of those little guys need a lot more help than others. And now, the tiniest that arrive at the Animal Rescue League of Iowa will have an even better chance for survival.
Tristan Hagg, ARL Foster and Transfer Assistant, told 糖心vlog that in 2023, the ARL saw more than 1,300 kittens under five weeks old come into their care 鈥 and they're expecting even more this year.
"We're expecting to increase that number by probably 15 or 20%," she said.
Those teeny, tiny kittens require a lot of hands-on care, especially if they are orphaned. Some need feedings every two hours, others every four hours. Some also need supplemental feedings every six hours, Hagg said.
To help the littlest kittens that can't survive on their own, the ARL has come up with a cozy solution.
"To our knowledge, this is the first kitten nursery that is fully functional 24 hours, around the clock in the midwest," Hagg said.
The ARL kitten nursery is fully staffed and can accommodate 270 kittens. Newborn kittens up to 3 weeks old are kept in incubators to help keep them warm.
"They can't maintain their own body temperature," Hagg said.
When the incubators are full, there are reptile tanks that serve as a backup.
"The really great thing about reptile tanks is that they're also supposed to hold that heat temperature at a certain point," Hagg said.
The nursery also has kennels for the three- to four-week-old kittens who no longer need to be fed by syringe, but need a little help learning how to feed themselves.
"We basically teach them how to eat on their own and how to be fully independent and self-sufficient," Hagg said.
For the little orphans, a stuffed animal with a mechanical heartbeat provides comfort.
"It truly is their mom," Hagg said.
The ARL puts in all that work for hundreds of litters of kittens to reach this goal 鈥 2-pound, 8-week-old kittens, post-surgery and nearly ready to find their fur-ever home.
To keep the kitten nursery at capacity, the ARL needs about 260 volunteers. If you would like to help volunteer or donate to support their care, go to