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Our Mission
Meet Olive
Lonely Hearts Club Member
Olive is a spunky 7-year-old diabetic cat. With a mischievous personality, she’s quickly become a favorite amongst the staff at CCS. If you adopt Olive, we assure you there will never be a dull day in your household again! View her profile to learn more.
Adopt
Save a life and find your new best friend while opening up more space in the shelter. After picking out your purrfect match, apply to adopt!
Foster
Volunteer
Get involved by giving back! We have many volunteer roles available to help support the cats in our shelter. A few hours can make a world of difference.
Upcoming Events
Paws on the Green: Golf Tournament
Free Seminar: Building a Better Bond with Your Kitty
Free Seminar: Q&A with a Cat Behaviorist
Purrs and Paint
Free Seminar: Kitten Class
Cat Takeover at New Terrain Brewing Co.
Cats on Mats – Shelter Yoga
Free Seminar: Helping Cats Live Together
“Fore the Felines” at TopGolf Centennial
“Fore the Felines” Online Auction
- Ends March 15, 2026
Free Seminar: Successful Cat Introductions
Art from the Heart: Online Art Auction
- Ends February 28, 2026
Free Seminar: The Benefits of Play
Colorado Gives Day
Santa Paws
Cat Fest Colorado
Free Seminar: Clicker Training Your Cats
Tails of the Painted Cats
Duet Drag Show Benefitting Cat Care Society
Oktobermeow at Wild Sky Brewery
The Whisker Whisper Blog
The True Cost of Kitten Season
Every spring, animal shelters prepare for kitten season, the time of year when an influx of newborn litters arrive. Though kittens are small, they often require a large portion of shelter resources, from medical care and supplies to staff and foster time. At CCS, we’re known for taking in cats of all ages who might not have a chance anywhere else due to complex medical conditions or other special needs. Kitten season is no exception.
Warmer Weather = Longer Kitten Season
Traditionally, cats reproduce when days lengthen and temperatures rise. But in recent years, shelters across the country have observed kitten season starting earlier and lasting longer. Milder winter temperatures are increasingly being viewed as a primary cause for several reasons. When winters are less harsh, more cats survive—and they begin reproducing sooner. Increased access to food and shelter during warmer conditions also supports higher survival rates for kittens. Additionally, warmer winters boost kitten visibility by drawing more people outdoors, leading to more kittens being noticed and brought to shelters.
All of this results in a longer breeding window, more litters being born, and more kittens arriving at shelters. And because cats can have multiple litters in a single season, the population growth can quickly become overwhelming.
The Fragility of Kittens
Kittens have underdeveloped immune systems and gastrointestinal tracts, making them highly susceptible to contagious illnesses. Kittens from the same litter are housed together, which means even a minor illness can quickly spread, requiring intensive medical care, isolation protocols, and round-the-clock monitoring.
Beyond this, caring for neonatal kittens (0 to 4 weeks old) that do not have their mother present adds another layer of complexity. These kittens require bottle feeding every few hours, temperature regulation, and constant supervision to ensure their safety and wellbeing. Additionally, the most critical socialization period for a cat is from 2-9 weeks of age, and frequent contact with humans during this time plays a key role in shaping a kitten’s friendliness, trust, and ability to bond with people.
The Strain on Shelter Resources
Kitten season doesn’t just increase the number of cats in care—it also multiplies the demands on every part of a shelter’s operation, including:
- Increased medical costs for vulnerable kittens
- Greater need for specialized supplies, such as formula, heating pads, and personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Significant staff and volunteer time dedicated to feeding, cleaning, and monitoring
- Expanded foster networks to relieve overcrowding and provide more intensive care
The overall financial impact is substantial, especially since kittens must stay in care until they’re old enough for adoption. In 2025, Cat Care Society spent a significant amount caring for more than 350 kittens. This included over $7,000 on personal protective equipment (PPE) alone, such as disposable gloves, gowns, shoe covers, and face protection. While not a glamorous expense, PPE is critical for protecting vulnerable kittens and preventing the spread of contagious illness.
Beyond the financial strain, kitten season also takes an emotional toll on staff and volunteers. The constant influx of fragile animals, combined with often high-stakes, urgent care they require, can often be overwhelming. Ensuring consistent access to necessary supplies and PPE helps ease this pressure, allowing caregivers to focus fully on the kittens and feel confident they have everything they need to give them the best possible care. That peace of mind makes a real difference, helping reduce stress and minimize fatigue during one of the busiest and most demanding times of the year.
Why Spaying and Neutering Is Critical
One of the most effective ways to curb this cycle is through spaying and neutering both pet cats as well as community cats living in colonies. Without intervention, unspayed female cats can go into heat every few weeks during breeding season, producing litter after litter. In addition to population control, spaying and neutering provides cats with health and behavioral benefits making it a practical and caring solution.
Being proactive with spay and neuter efforts is essential for keeping cat populations manageable, which is why Colorado has enacted both state and local legislation to address the issue. All Colorado shelters are required to spay and neuter the cats in their care before adoption (Cat Care Society performed 393 spay/neuter surgeries in FY2025!). If the procedure must be postponed due to health or age, a written agreement must be made to ensure it is completed at a later date. In Denver, all cats over six months old must be spayed or neutered unless the owner obtains an annual permit to keep their cat unaltered.
Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is a humane way to trap feral cats, spaying or neutering them, and returning them to their outdoor homes, TNR prevents future litters from being born. TNR doesn’t just reduce the number of kittens entering shelters—it also improves the health of cat colonies and reduces the strain on already overwhelmed systems. Read more about TNR in one of our other blog posts and check out our list of TNR organizations that provide services in the Denver metro area if you’d like to get involved or need support.
Make a Difference This Kitten Season
Throughout the month of May, we’re running a dedicated campaign to help cover the costs of medical treatment, supplies, and nutrition that come with kitten season. With your support, we aim to raise $10,000 to help as many kittens as possible receive the care they need to thrive.
We also maintain registries on Amazon and Chewy where anyone can shop and donate critical supplies like kitten formula, bottles, heating pads, blankets, cleaning supplies, disinfectants, and more.
Supporting TNR programs, fostering kittens, spreading awareness, ensuring your current pets are spayed or neutered, and adopting from shelters are also key ways our community can help reduce the impact of kitten season.
Closing
Kitten season will always be inevitable to some degree, which is why CCS is always looking at ways to make it less overwhelming while maintaining our high standards of care. With proactive strategies, community support, and continued education, we can help create a future where fewer kittens are born into crisis—and more have the chance to thrive.
About the Author: Beth Dokolasa is a volunteer for Cat Care Society and serves on the Board of Directors. She is an instructional developer for Natural Grocers and lives in Indian Hills, Colo., with her husband, daughter, and two cats, Techno and Digit.
Difficult Times Shouldn’t Mean Cat Surrender: How Cat Care Society Helps Cats and Families Stay Together
Cats are so much more than cute companions; they can be emotional lifelines, especially during challenging periods of life. In times of upheaval, a cat’s presence can offer stability, purpose, and unconditional love that many people rely on to stay resilient. Research shows that interacting with animals has real benefits, from reducing stress hormones and lowering blood pressure to easing loneliness and boosting mood through the release of dopamine and serotonin. Even simple interactions like petting or playing can calm the nervous system and provide comfort that’s hard to put into words. Maintaining this relationship is equally important for the cat, as they form strong, loving bonds with their owners and feel safe and comfortable in a familiar environment.
Unfortunately, many people feel they have no choice but to give up their cats during difficult periods in their lives. For cats, surrender means more than losing their home, it also means losing the family and routine that helps them feel secure. This sudden disruption can be deeply traumatic, often causing emotional and physical stress for the cat while leaving the owner with grief, guilt, and heartbreak. It’s a painful outcome for both.
Note: We understand that there are times when surrendering a cat is the best option. When that happens, we warmly accept those cats without judgment and provide them with veterinary care, a premium diet, enrichment, and loving human interaction.
Common Reasons Cats Are Surrendered
Pets elevate our lives in countless ways, yet far too many households feel forced to give up their pets each year. According to recent research, close to two million owners re-home dogs and cats annually, not because they don’t love them, but because of circumstances that make care feel impossible.
- Financial strain is a leading factor. Veterinary bills and ongoing food and litter costs can quickly become overwhelming, particularly for people with lower incomes and those going through a challenging time.
- Housing instability, including rental restrictions and high pet deposits or monthly fees, also plays a major role in owners’ heartbreaking decisions to surrender pets.
- Behavioral challenges that owners feel unequipped to address also lead people to relinquish their pets. Because keeping cats and their families together is so important,
Because these challenges are so common—and often temporary—Cat Care Society provides community support and proactive programs that address the root causes of surrender.
Cat Care Society Programs That Keep Cats and Their Families Together
Nibbles & Kibbles
The CCS Nibbles & Kibbles emergency food bank offers free cat food and supplies to people experiencing financial challenges. This longstanding program helps owners continue to care for their cats, who may be one of their few comforts during times of hardship. The pantry is open for free to community members in need on the first or third Saturday of every month between 10 a.m. and noon. In FY2025, 1,000 cats and 300 families were served through our emergency food pantry.
Temporary Care Program
Our Temporary Care Program provides shelter, veterinary care, food, and enrichment to cats for up to 30 days while their owners find their footing after an unexpected event, including home foreclosure, domestic violence, temporary homelessness, or an extended hospital stay. During times of crisis, it provides peace of mind by ensuring that beloved cats are safe, cared for, and ready to return home when their owners are able. In FY2025, 64 cats and their families were supported through our Temporary Care Program.
Health and Behavior Programs and Resources
- Free Seminars: Every year, we host several free seminars for anyone who wants to learn more about cat health and behavior.
- List of Free and Low-Cost Resources: We maintain a robust list of health and behavior resources on our website, including low-cost clinics, free resources to learn more about cat behavior and care, and local options for pet financial assistance (in addition to our Nibbles & Kibbles program).
By helping people through difficult moments, we reduce permanent surrenders and ensure more cats can remain where they belong—at home. By reducing surrenders, we also free up valuable shelter space and resources so we can provide care for even more cats who truly have nowhere else to go.
Closing
We are able to offer these programs in large part because of our amazing CCS community. Because of our generous donors, in-kind donations that can’t be used in the shelter are allocated to Nibbles & Kibbles. Examples include opened bags of food/treats, gently used towers/toys that we can’t sanitize properly in the shelter, and harnesses/collars. If you have extra cat items, bring them by during open shelter hours and leave them in the designated donation area in the lobby (be sure to remember your donation receipt). Check out the list of new and gently used items that we are able to accept. Every bag of food, bag of litter, and donated supply helps ensure that the cats in our care—and in our community—have what they need to stay healthy and happy.
About the Author: Beth Dokolasa is a volunteer for Cat Care Society and serves on the Board of Directors. She is an instructional developer for Natural Grocers and lives in Indian Hills, Colo., with her husband, daughter, and two cats, Techno and Digit.
Moving Forward: Stanley’s Journey Home
The True Cost of Kitten Season
Every spring, animal shelters prepare for kitten season, the time of year when an influx of newborn litters arrive. Though kittens are small, they often require a large portion of shelter resources, from medical care and supplies to staff and foster time. At CCS, we’re known for taking in cats of all ages who might not have a chance anywhere else due to complex medical conditions or other special needs. Kitten season is no exception.
Warmer Weather = Longer Kitten Season
Traditionally, cats reproduce when days lengthen and temperatures rise. But in recent years, shelters across the country have observed kitten season starting earlier and lasting longer. Milder winter temperatures are increasingly being viewed as a primary cause for several reasons. When winters are less harsh, more cats survive—and they begin reproducing sooner. Increased access to food and shelter during warmer conditions also supports higher survival rates for kittens. Additionally, warmer winters boost kitten visibility by drawing more people outdoors, leading to more kittens being noticed and brought to shelters.
All of this results in a longer breeding window, more litters being born, and more kittens arriving at shelters. And because cats can have multiple litters in a single season, the population growth can quickly become overwhelming.
The Fragility of Kittens
Kittens have underdeveloped immune systems and gastrointestinal tracts, making them highly susceptible to contagious illnesses. Kittens from the same litter are housed together, which means even a minor illness can quickly spread, requiring intensive medical care, isolation protocols, and round-the-clock monitoring.
Beyond this, caring for neonatal kittens (0 to 4 weeks old) that do not have their mother present adds another layer of complexity. These kittens require bottle feeding every few hours, temperature regulation, and constant supervision to ensure their safety and wellbeing. Additionally, the most critical socialization period for a cat is from 2-9 weeks of age, and frequent contact with humans during this time plays a key role in shaping a kitten’s friendliness, trust, and ability to bond with people.
The Strain on Shelter Resources
Kitten season doesn’t just increase the number of cats in care—it also multiplies the demands on every part of a shelter’s operation, including:
- Increased medical costs for vulnerable kittens
- Greater need for specialized supplies, such as formula, heating pads, and personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Significant staff and volunteer time dedicated to feeding, cleaning, and monitoring
- Expanded foster networks to relieve overcrowding and provide more intensive care
The overall financial impact is substantial, especially since kittens must stay in care until they’re old enough for adoption. In 2025, Cat Care Society spent a significant amount caring for more than 350 kittens. This included over $7,000 on personal protective equipment (PPE) alone, such as disposable gloves, gowns, shoe covers, and face protection. While not a glamorous expense, PPE is critical for protecting vulnerable kittens and preventing the spread of contagious illness.
Beyond the financial strain, kitten season also takes an emotional toll on staff and volunteers. The constant influx of fragile animals, combined with often high-stakes, urgent care they require, can often be overwhelming. Ensuring consistent access to necessary supplies and PPE helps ease this pressure, allowing caregivers to focus fully on the kittens and feel confident they have everything they need to give them the best possible care. That peace of mind makes a real difference, helping reduce stress and minimize fatigue during one of the busiest and most demanding times of the year.
Why Spaying and Neutering Is Critical
One of the most effective ways to curb this cycle is through spaying and neutering both pet cats as well as community cats living in colonies. Without intervention, unspayed female cats can go into heat every few weeks during breeding season, producing litter after litter. In addition to population control, spaying and neutering provides cats with health and behavioral benefits making it a practical and caring solution.
Being proactive with spay and neuter efforts is essential for keeping cat populations manageable, which is why Colorado has enacted both state and local legislation to address the issue. All Colorado shelters are required to spay and neuter the cats in their care before adoption (Cat Care Society performed 393 spay/neuter surgeries in FY2025!). If the procedure must be postponed due to health or age, a written agreement must be made to ensure it is completed at a later date. In Denver, all cats over six months old must be spayed or neutered unless the owner obtains an annual permit to keep their cat unaltered.
Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is a humane way to trap feral cats, spaying or neutering them, and returning them to their outdoor homes, TNR prevents future litters from being born. TNR doesn’t just reduce the number of kittens entering shelters—it also improves the health of cat colonies and reduces the strain on already overwhelmed systems. Read more about TNR in one of our other blog posts and check out our list of TNR organizations that provide services in the Denver metro area if you’d like to get involved or need support.
Make a Difference This Kitten Season
Throughout the month of May, we’re running a dedicated campaign to help cover the costs of medical treatment, supplies, and nutrition that come with kitten season. With your support, we aim to raise $10,000 to help as many kittens as possible receive the care they need to thrive.
We also maintain registries on Amazon and Chewy where anyone can shop and donate critical supplies like kitten formula, bottles, heating pads, blankets, cleaning supplies, disinfectants, and more.
Supporting TNR programs, fostering kittens, spreading awareness, ensuring your current pets are spayed or neutered, and adopting from shelters are also key ways our community can help reduce the impact of kitten season.
Closing
Kitten season will always be inevitable to some degree, which is why CCS is always looking at ways to make it less overwhelming while maintaining our high standards of care. With proactive strategies, community support, and continued education, we can help create a future where fewer kittens are born into crisis—and more have the chance to thrive.
About the Author: Beth Dokolasa is a volunteer for Cat Care Society and serves on the Board of Directors. She is an instructional developer for Natural Grocers and lives in Indian Hills, Colo., with her husband, daughter, and two cats, Techno and Digit.
Difficult Times Shouldn’t Mean Cat Surrender: How Cat Care Society Helps Cats and Families Stay Together
Cats are so much more than cute companions; they can be emotional lifelines, especially during challenging periods of life. In times of upheaval, a cat’s presence can offer stability, purpose, and unconditional love that many people rely on to stay resilient. Research shows that interacting with animals has real benefits, from reducing stress hormones and lowering blood pressure to easing loneliness and boosting mood through the release of dopamine and serotonin. Even simple interactions like petting or playing can calm the nervous system and provide comfort that’s hard to put into words. Maintaining this relationship is equally important for the cat, as they form strong, loving bonds with their owners and feel safe and comfortable in a familiar environment.
Unfortunately, many people feel they have no choice but to give up their cats during difficult periods in their lives. For cats, surrender means more than losing their home, it also means losing the family and routine that helps them feel secure. This sudden disruption can be deeply traumatic, often causing emotional and physical stress for the cat while leaving the owner with grief, guilt, and heartbreak. It’s a painful outcome for both.
Note: We understand that there are times when surrendering a cat is the best option. When that happens, we warmly accept those cats without judgment and provide them with veterinary care, a premium diet, enrichment, and loving human interaction.
Common Reasons Cats Are Surrendered
Pets elevate our lives in countless ways, yet far too many households feel forced to give up their pets each year. According to recent research, close to two million owners re-home dogs and cats annually, not because they don’t love them, but because of circumstances that make care feel impossible.
- Financial strain is a leading factor. Veterinary bills and ongoing food and litter costs can quickly become overwhelming, particularly for people with lower incomes and those going through a challenging time.
- Housing instability, including rental restrictions and high pet deposits or monthly fees, also plays a major role in owners’ heartbreaking decisions to surrender pets.
- Behavioral challenges that owners feel unequipped to address also lead people to relinquish their pets. Because keeping cats and their families together is so important,
Because these challenges are so common—and often temporary—Cat Care Society provides community support and proactive programs that address the root causes of surrender.
Cat Care Society Programs That Keep Cats and Their Families Together
Nibbles & Kibbles
The CCS Nibbles & Kibbles emergency food bank offers free cat food and supplies to people experiencing financial challenges. This longstanding program helps owners continue to care for their cats, who may be one of their few comforts during times of hardship. The pantry is open for free to community members in need on the first or third Saturday of every month between 10 a.m. and noon. In FY2025, 1,000 cats and 300 families were served through our emergency food pantry.
Temporary Care Program
Our Temporary Care Program provides shelter, veterinary care, food, and enrichment to cats for up to 30 days while their owners find their footing after an unexpected event, including home foreclosure, domestic violence, temporary homelessness, or an extended hospital stay. During times of crisis, it provides peace of mind by ensuring that beloved cats are safe, cared for, and ready to return home when their owners are able. In FY2025, 64 cats and their families were supported through our Temporary Care Program.
Health and Behavior Programs and Resources
- Free Seminars: Every year, we host several free seminars for anyone who wants to learn more about cat health and behavior.
- List of Free and Low-Cost Resources: We maintain a robust list of health and behavior resources on our website, including low-cost clinics, free resources to learn more about cat behavior and care, and local options for pet financial assistance (in addition to our Nibbles & Kibbles program).
By helping people through difficult moments, we reduce permanent surrenders and ensure more cats can remain where they belong—at home. By reducing surrenders, we also free up valuable shelter space and resources so we can provide care for even more cats who truly have nowhere else to go.
Closing
We are able to offer these programs in large part because of our amazing CCS community. Because of our generous donors, in-kind donations that can’t be used in the shelter are allocated to Nibbles & Kibbles. Examples include opened bags of food/treats, gently used towers/toys that we can’t sanitize properly in the shelter, and harnesses/collars. If you have extra cat items, bring them by during open shelter hours and leave them in the designated donation area in the lobby (be sure to remember your donation receipt). Check out the list of new and gently used items that we are able to accept. Every bag of food, bag of litter, and donated supply helps ensure that the cats in our care—and in our community—have what they need to stay healthy and happy.
About the Author: Beth Dokolasa is a volunteer for Cat Care Society and serves on the Board of Directors. She is an instructional developer for Natural Grocers and lives in Indian Hills, Colo., with her husband, daughter, and two cats, Techno and Digit.
Moving Forward: Stanley’s Journey Home
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