Kaya Miller, a second-year undergraduate at UC Davis, is fostering three neonatal kittens as part of the Orphan Kitten Project (OKP), a student-run nonprofit club at the university. Along with her roommate, Miller alternates shifts feeding and cleaning the kittens every two hours. “It’s a lot of dedication; we have to wake up every two hours, but it’s so worth it,” she said.
The OKP has operated since 1988, focusing on rescuing and rehabilitating neonatal kittens under four weeks old who require specialized care such as bottle feeding and medical treatment. The organization aims to relieve traditional animal shelters by placing these young animals in foster homes where they receive individual attention.
Neonatal kittens often face significant risks without maternal care, including malnutrition and illness. According to data from the UC Integrated Pest Management Program, feral and free-roaming cats make up between 18% and 49% of all cats in the United States. California’s warm climate contributes to higher populations of feral cats; for example, Los Angeles County is estimated to have around half a million feral cats.
Yolo County residents or local shelters contact OKP when they find neonatal kittens needing help. “They’ll call us, and if we can take them, we will. Or we’ll help direct them to other resources,” said Hannah Rogers, co-president of OKP and student at the UC Davis Veterinary School of Medicine.
The organization operates through a network of volunteers who fill roles such as surgery coordinators and adoption coordinators. They are supported by veterinary advisors at the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital on campus. “It takes a village because we’re running an entire rescue,” Rogers said. “The whole thing is really everybody in the community.”
Without its own physical location, OKP relies on about 20 to 30 active fosters at any given time—mostly undergraduates or local residents—who are matched with kittens by vet students who also provide supplies and guidance throughout the process.
Miller began fostering after learning about OKP from a friend. She signed up for their email list for prospective fosters and was soon connected with a volunteer coordinator who provided necessary equipment like an incubator along with litter and formula. “The coordinator came over and showed me how to do everything. There are just really amazing people in the program,” she said.
In addition to serving local animals in need, OKP provides hands-on experience for veterinary students such as Charissa Tseng, co-vice president of OKP: “Even after we graduate and become veterinarians, we will see kittens in our line of work — they will pop up in the clinic, so it’s good to know how to deal with them.” Tseng added that seeing sickly kittens grow healthy is rewarding: “The best part is seeing the kittens go from fragile and sickly to strong and healthy.”
Tseng also checks on volunteer fosters’ progress while managing vaccines and adoptions: “I recently had my first adoption, and it was so fulfilling to see the kitten find a loving home,” she said.
Adoption fees collected by OKP cover only basic medical costs like vaccines or neutering procedures rather than generating revenue for operations. Rogers explained: “It really doesn’t produce any money. [The fees] just help us break even on vaccines and neutering.” Donations from groups such as Orphan Kitten Club or Sacramento Valley Veterinarian Associate Medical Association are crucial for funding food supplies or emergency care.
Medical expenses remain one of their largest challenges despite partnerships with veterinary hospitals; thus grant applications remain ongoing efforts for financial support according to Tseng.
Demand typically increases during warmer months due to seasonal spikes in feral cat births—a trend expected by organizations working across California—and space limitations often restrict how many animals can be rescued at once because financial reserves must be maintained for emergencies: “By high summer, we just run out of space,” Rogers noted.
To address long-term issues associated with stray cat populations—including recurring cycles of abandoned litters—OKP is emphasizing trap-neuter-release programs moving forward: “Unless you can spay and neuter mom and dad, you’re always going to have more homeless kittens getting hurt from living outside,” Rogers said.
For those considering volunteering or fostering pets locally Tseng offered encouragement: “If you have the time and ability, definitely foster. Every bit makes a difference for these kittens.”
Miller continues caring for her current charges until permanent homes are found: “The only reason why I wouldn’t adopt them is because I don’t have the security. Otherwise I think I’d have 10 million cats,” she said.
