Local shelter overwhelmed with kittens "Kitten Season" sounds almost as wonderful as the holiday season, yet it is actually a prelude to tragedy. This is the time of year when the nation's shelters become overburdened with unwanted kittens. Consequently, many of them are destroyed because there are just not enough homes to adopt the tiny, mewing bundles of fur, according to the Burlington County Animal Alliance (BCAA). This month, the BCAA, which runs a local animal shelter and adopts cats and kittens out of various local pet stores, will join the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in recognizing June as National ASPCA Adopt-a-Shelter-Cat Month. June is the height of "Kitten Season," since mother cats do not deliver during the colder months, according to the ASPCA. During National ASPCA Adopt-a-Shelter-Cat Month, the BCAA and the ASPCA are encouraging adoptions of kittens or cats from the Burlington County Animal Shelter in Westampton. The ASPCA wants potential adopters to know that owning a cat is a long-term commitment and therefore requires serious thought. A good place for potential adopters to enter into the adoption process is with a mind-set that cats are to be considered family members rather than possessions, according to the ASPCA. Although kittens abound in the shelters at this time of year, adoption agencies also encourage potential adopters not to overlook the many adult cats that are there. An adult cat may be a calmer, gentler companion or a possible older "sibling" for a kitten already owned or newly adopted, according to the BCAA. In addition, the BCAA is also encouraging those who do adopt and those who already have pets to have their animals spayed or neutered to stop the seemingly endless cycle of unwanted, helpless animals. The Humane Society of the United States reports that one female cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 homeless felines in seven years. The Burlington County animal shelter is located on Woodlane Road in Westampton Township. Visit www.bcaa.petfinder.org for information.