Kitten snugglers wanted! Sign us up!

Kitten snuggling. It’s a thing. An actual volunteer job that exists in the real world. Who knew such an awesome gig existed? Surely there must be a waiting list or something. I mean, who doesn’t want to spend an hour or so of free time here and there to cuddle with baby kittens?

Sadly, there’s no waiting list.

Real talk, you guys: Animal shelters all across the country are filled to the brim with kittens. We’re in the midst of what animal rescuers call “kitten season.” Kitten season is the time of year stretching from spring all the way until early fall when cats give birth to litters of kittens. Unfortunately, a huge majority of these litters are either unwanted or born to strays, and every year during kitten season, shelters and rescue groups find themselves overflowing with tiny kitties in need of round the clock care.

Best Friends Animal Society posted a video to YouTube last month that showed exactly what goes into caring for the hundreds of kittens in their kitten nursery (be still my heart! a kitten nursery!). The kitties in their care are anywhere from a few days to eight weeks old. The youngest babies are bottle fed every two hours, and if you’ve never seen the overwhelming cuteness that is an infant kitten drinking from a baby bottle, then you’re missing out. In a big way.

The weight of each kitten is carefully monitored to ensure he/she is getting enough nutrients and hydration. And even though it’s summertime, the kitties need to be kept nice and warm. (Kittens are so tiny they can actually get chilled and die in a very short period of time and NOBODY wants that!)

But love and socialization are just as important as food, water and warmth, and that’s where kitten snuggling comes in. The Best Friends kitten nursery has 200 volunteers just to give kitten hugs! Chances are good that a shelter or rescue group in your area needs kitten snugglers, too. Do some Internet research. Make a few calls. We guarantee you won’t be turned away. I’ve actually volunteered during kitten season myself at a local shelter in my hometown (San Antonio). And I can tell you from personal experience that the need for help is enormous. But guess what? Helping out totally rocks. I mean, IT’S SNUGGLING WITH KITTENS.

What could be better?

Here’s what the best job in the world looks like, just in case you’re wondering:

(Images and video via YouTube.)