Animals are only put down in extreme cases. A lot of kittens go straight to foster homes and the SPCA is on the lookout for more people to help foster. Ms Rolfe said they needed to be kind and gentle and have the spare time to socialise the kittens.
"Families are great, the kids play with the kittens and they get exposed to a lot more - families tend to bullet-proof them."
The SPCA supplies bedding, food and any medical treatment. Kittens normally stay in a home for four to six weeks.
They are returned to the SPCA to be desexed and rehomed.
-For more on pet desexing and being a foster carer, call (07) 349 2955 or go to www.rotoruaspca.org.nz