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Just about everywhere we look this time of year there are baby animals. My wife and I have seen baby groundhogs, goslings, calves, and, of course, kittens.

Kitten season lasts from spring to late fall, but now is the peak time of the year for their arrival. It’s also when shelters take in large numbers of the babies, along with mother cats.

With me on the podcast today to visit about kittens, health, and adopting them is Carol Griglione, executive director of the Animal Rescue League in Des Moines, IA.

Carol discusses a number of important aspects of kitten adoption, including the biggest challenges of bringing a little feline into the home. She also talks about whether adopters have specific criteria for what they want in a kitten. In addition, she discusses what to look for regarding the health of a kitten before adopting it and common signs that might indicate there is a health issue with the animal. Carol also talks about how adopters can prepare their home for a kitten.

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This episode of The Hissing Feline revisits an earlier show on which I interviewed Crystal Jolly, a pet sitter with 15 years of full time experience and 25 years part time work in the field. Topics include how Crystal became interested in pet sitting, differences between dogs and cats for sitters, and the personalities of different types of cats.

In the second segment, Crystal discusses deciding whether to employ a pet sitter or boarding an animal when an owner will be away. She also talks about what a person should consider when selecting a sitter for their pet.

From the standpoint of pet parents, Crystal talks about how best to prepare for a pet sitter, such as what should be included in the instructions for a sitter. She also discusses what a sitter can do during the time they are sitting, such as providing photos of the pet through daily text or emails.

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In the US, there are millions of un-homed cats, often referred to as community cats. What is a community cat? How do people care for them? How can people become involved with those cats? Those are just a few of the questions this episode of The Hissing Feline podcast will address.

This episode features an interview with Stacy LeBaron, founder of Community Cats Central in Vermont. The organization offers a wealth of online information, training, a podcast, and other ways to help deal with community cats.

In this episode, Stacy talks about how and why the organization was started and its outreach. She also notes the importance of veterinarians to the efforts of Community Cats Central and communities across the country. One section of the organization's website features The Community Cat Pyramid, which delineates the four aspects of decreasing community cat population.

For more information, visit the organization's website at https://communitycatscentral.com