7 Tips for Messaging Kitten Season

You know kitten season is your busiest time of year, but have you explained to your supporters that you need their help—and why? With some good messaging, whether it’s fun and catchy or simple and straightforward, you’ll have a better shot of bringing more donors, volunteers and foster families on board.

Make It a Party

While you want your supporters to understand the urgency of kitten season, you can still turn it into a fun event. By throwing a kitten shower, you can acquire much-needed items off your wish list and recruit more foster families. Of course, adorable photos like the one Louisville Metro Animal Services uses in their signage will help you get more eyes on the event invite. Just watch those RSVPs roll in!

Put a Spin on a Common Phrase

Here is McKamey Animal Center’s twist on the well-known phrase, “We’re

expecting”—which, on the Tennessee aggency’s kitten shower invite, holds double meaning for the pregnant mama cats and for the shelter expecting those kittens to enter their care.

Take Advantage of Your Itty Bitty Models

You’ve got kittens—so use them. When a local Starbucks donated coffee to Northeast Animal Shelter’s kitten shower, it was only logical for them to use a kitty in a cup to promote the event.

Follow Trends

To up your engagement game, take a tip from PetFix Northeast Ohio, Inc. and connect your message with a popular book/TV series—in this case, Game of Thrones. No fancy software equipment needed—they used a simple meme generation website to create this one.

Make a Strong Statement

This graphic is easy to read and simple to share. Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association provides great educational info and promotes several programs to their community in a digestible way.

Grab Their Attention

The Cat Network, Inc had the idea to psych out their Facebook fans by declaring that kitten season was cancelled—and then included a call to action to help make this dream a reality. This tactic proved to be a smart way to spread the word, with the post securing many likes and shares.

Tell Them Kitten Season Stinks

Debunk the perception that it’s adorable to suddenly have hundreds of kittens in your care. The ASPCA uses graphics and articles to educate about the kind of support needed, and always specifies how folks can help.