St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center in Madison has introduced a program that provides resources and support to shelters, rescues, volunteers and fosters when it comes to caring for kittens under 4 weeks old.

The hope for the Kitten College, which is a nationwide program, is to combat the euthanization of neonatal kittens in their first weeks of life.

"These are the most euthanized animals all across the country because of the resources they require," says Kitten College founder Marnie Russ. "We teach them ways of containing resources and getting folks on board to help save these little ones. Housing this kitten for just a couple of weeks will absolutely be the difference between life and death because in a couple of weeks, this will be the most adoptable animal in shelters."

Those who attend the classes learn how to bottle feed, are given health care guides and are provided with information about neonatal kitten care.

“We think it's going to be a truly lifesaving program. Other shelters around New Jersey are here to learn from the expert about how to take care of these kittens, how to expand this program not just here," says Diane Ashton, director of communications at St. Hubert's.

St. Hubert's hopes to have the program in full swing by this spring.