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The current VIN date & time: Eastern

SHEL100-0423: Saving the Tiniest Lives: Veterinary Care for Kittens in Shelters and Foster Care

The lectures for this course will be presented via the Zoom webinar platform.

Presenter: Erin Katribe, DVM, MS (Shelter Medicine)
Course Open: April 19-May 13, 2023
Real Time Sessions (RTS): Wednesdays, April 26, and May 3, 2023; 7:00-8:30 pm ET (USA) World Clock Converter
Total CE Credit: 3
RACE Category: 3 hours Medical


Enrollment is closed.  

Tuition: Member $69 ($62 early bird special if enrolled by April 12, 2023)
Non-Member $137 ($123 early bird special if enrolled by April 12, 2023)
Prices are listed in US dollars.


Course Information:
Shelters and rescue organizations across the country are stepping up to save the tiniest lives, neonatal and weaning orphaned kittens that historically have been at high risk of losing their lives in shelters. With this increase in lifesaving over recent years, though, comes the need for expanded veterinary care for these kittens in foster care and in shelter settings. Shelter practitioners and private practice veterinarians alike are tasked with providing more veterinary care for these fragile little lives.

This course will cover basic veterinary care for neonatal kittens in a shelter or foster care setting. A basic overview of general kitten care will be provided including nutrition, husbandry, and preventive veterinary care (vaccinations, deworming). Population management strategies for shelters and rescues that keep kittens healthy for adoption will be covered. The course will also discuss common illnesses seen in kittens including gastrointestinal disease, panleukopenia, fading kitten syndrome, and upper respiratory disease Various options for testing and treatment will be covered.


Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of the course, the participant should be able to
  • discuss why neonatal kittens' lives are at risk in shelters nationally.
  • discuss strategies that veterinarians, shelters, and non-profit organizations can employ to reduce the number of kittens entering shelters.
  • describe basics kitten husbandry principles.
  • outline a preventative care plan for young kittens in a shelter/foster environment.
  • discuss population management strategies that keep kittens healthy to adoption in shelters and foster care.
  • discuss common medical conditions observed in neonatal and weaning kittens, including clinical signs, diagnosis, and treatment.
  • discuss how comprehensive community cat programming can contribute to overall feline lifesaving in a community.
  • discuss additional strategies and existing resources that can be used to support foster parents in caring for and adopting out orphaned kittens.


Level and Prerequisites: This basic VIN CE course is open for enrollment to veterinarians and veterinary support personnel interested in the basics of veterinary care for neonatal kittens in a shelter or foster care setting.
Credit Approval: This course is approved for 3 hours of continuing education credit by RACE for veterinarians and veterinary technicians/technologists. (RACE 20-932845)


Course Agenda:

Week 1 (Real Time Session April 26, 2023): Kitten Care in Shelters and Foster Programs
This session will begin with background information, giving an overview of kitten lifesaving in shelters nationally, and will discuss client/public education strategies to avoid unintentional orphaning of kittens. Recent trends in the shift from in-shelter “kitten nursery” care to community-supported kitten fostering support an expansion of shelters’ ability to save these fragile little lives. Program examples and operational strategies to launch and sustain foster programs will be covered. There will also be an overview of basic kitten care including housing considerations, sanitation and biosecurity, nutrition requirements, and weaning schedules and tips. Preventive veterinary care protocols will be covered including vaccines and anti-parasite treatment. Community cat programs will be discussed as a humane strategy for feline population control and shelter lifesaving.

Week 2 (Real Time Session May 3, 2023): Common Medical Conditions of Kittens and Population Management Strategies to Keep Kittens Healthy
This session will discuss population management for kittens in shelters and foster care that will help to keep kittens healthy and prevent disease. This includes strategies to reduce the length of stay and the impact that shorter lengths of stay have on kitten health and welfare. Housing for optimal kitten welfare and health in the shelter will be covered, as well as current updates on pediatric spay/neuter. Common medical conditions seen in neonatal and weaning kittens in shelters will also be covered, including background, pathophysiology, clinical signs, diagnosis, and treatment for each. Diseases include fading kitten syndrome, upper respiratory disease, dermatophytosis, diarrhea, constipation, and panleukopenia. Case examples will be provided that discuss both individual and population management. Strategies for program implementation to care for various medical populations in shelters will be discussed.


Successful completion (scoring 80% or better) on the end-of-course test is required to earn a certificate of completion for the course. To learn more about the requirements for earning a CE certificate, please refer to Receiving Your CE Credit and Course Completion Certificate.

Course Materials: Course materials will be available in the course library prior to each Real Time Session.
Required Textbook(s): There is no required textbook for this course.


Enrollment is closed.  

Tuition: Member $69 ($62 early bird special if enrolled by April 12, 2023)
Non-Member $137 ($123 early bird special if enrolled by April 12, 2023)
Prices are listed in US dollars.


*To ensure participants are ready and prepared for classes, enrollment will close on April 26, 2023 at 5 pm ET (USA) or when the maximum number of participants is reached.

*For more information on how online CE works, see the Participant Resource Center.


Enrollment qualifications:
  1. VIN CE Courses:
    1. VIN CE courses are open to VIN member, VIN student member, and non-member veterinarians.
    2. Veterinary support staff must be VSPN members in order to enroll in a VIN CE course open to VSPN member enrollment.
  2. VSPN CE Courses:
    1. VSPN CE courses are open to veterinary support staff and veterinarians.
    2. Only VIN and VSPN members can enroll in a VSPN CE course.
    3. Veterinarians will only receive credit for those VSPN CE courses that specify in the Accreditation statement that the course is accredited for veterinarians.
  3. Please check the course Level and Prerequisites, Accreditation, and Tuition before enrolling.
  4. Each enrollee must be able to receive emails from @vspn.org and @vin.com addresses.
    1. Email is our major form of communication with participants; personal emails are highly recommended rather than clinic/hospital email addresses.
  5. For further assistance call 800-846-0028 ext. 797 or email CEonVIN@vin.com. Please include the course title, your full name, and contact information in your correspondence.


Course withdrawal and refund policy: A complete refund of the paid course price will be issued when your withdrawal request is received prior to the listed start date of the course. If you wish to withdraw after the start date please contact the VIN office 800-846-0028 ext. 797 to discuss eligibility for a pro-rated refund.

*For more information on VIN's upcoming CE courses, check the VIN Course Catalog.

Katherine James, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (SAIM)
VIN Education Director

VIN CE Services: CEonVIN@vin.com
800-846-0028 or 530-756-4881; ext. 797
or direct line to VIN/VSPN from the United Kingdom: 01 45 222 6154
or direct line to VIN/VSPN from Australia: 02 6145 2357