The tiniest residents of the Animal Welfare Association (AWA) took center stage on Wednesday morning, as the shelter opened its doors for a special behind-the-scenes media event highlighting the lifesaving work done during kitten season.
From 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., visitors were invited to witness up-close bottle-feeding demonstrations, meet foster families and veterinary staff, and experience the emotional rollercoaster of raising fragile, orphaned kittens. Located at 509 Centennial Boulevard in Voorhees, the AWA transformed into a purring hub of compassion, education, and community connection.
“Kitten season is the time of year when people start finding kittens, with or without their mothers, and bring them into our shelter to help keep them alive,” said Jaime Moore, media contact for AWA. “This is my first kitten season, and even though I’ve only seen a few adoptions so far, every single one represents the incredible work of our fosters, staff, and supporters.”
Typically stretching from April through September, kitten season floods shelters with newborns, many of them just days—or even hours—old. Some arrive without mothers, leaving the staff to step in immediately. During the event, Cole Ogren, the Foster Transport coordinator, walked attendees through the meticulous care routine required for bottle babies.
“When kittens come in without a mother, we get them checked out medically and then warmed up using incubators or rice socks,” said Ogren. “They can’t regulate their own body temperature, so warmth is critical. Once stable, we begin feeding them using a bottle or syringe if needed. Then we search for a foster who can take over, because these kittens need feeding every two to three hours.”
Each foster is sent home with a customized care kit: KMR formula, bottles, syringes, and even a warm rice sock for the ride. The goal? Keep the kittens alive and healthy long enough to reach adoption age.
For Ogren, this work is more than a job—it’s a personal mission. “Saving lives is everything,” he shared. “In my darkest moments, animals saved me. Now, all I want to do is return that love. Watching these fragile babies grow, thrive, and finally get adopted—there’s no better feeling.”
During the event, volunteers and foster caregivers shared stories of sleepless nights, medical scares, and joyful farewells. Attendees captured social media-ready footage of kittens mewing for bottles, cuddling with caretakers, and snuggling in soft blankets. The scenes offered not just photo opportunities, but a powerful reminder of the urgent need for help.
The AWA depends on the community to survive kitten season. “We don’t receive government funding, so we rely heavily on donations and foster support,” said Moore.
Here’s how to get involved:
- Foster a kitten: www.awanj.org/foster-a-pet
- Donate supplies or funds: https://give.awanj.org/kittenpantry202
- Name a kitten (great for families or classroom projects): https://give.awanj.org/event/kitten-naming-2025/e652282
Founded as South Jersey’s oldest and largest no-kill animal shelter, AWA offers low-cost veterinary care, pet adoptions, humane education, and community programs such as trap-neuter-return. While the organization has evolved over decades, its mission has remained constant: to make animal companionship accessible and compassionate for all.
For more information, visit www.awanj.org.
