We’re looking forward to introducing you to Andee Bingham. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Andee, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
One of the biggest misconceptions about our work is that we focus on kittens because they’re cute and “easy” to adopt out. The reality is that the kittens we take in are often the most fragile, vulnerable, and medically challenging cases — the exact opposite of “easy.” These babies require around-the-clock care, specialized medical treatment, and intensive support just to have a chance at survival.
Another common misunderstanding is that when someone brings kittens to us, they assume it’s essentially a donation because there will be an adoption fee later. In truth, our adoption fee is only $100, while the average cost of care for each kitten is closer to $300 — and that doesn’t include the cases where expenses climb much higher due to medical complications. Adoption fees help offset a fraction of that cost, but the majority is covered thanks to the generosity of our donors and supporters.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Andee Bingham, founder of Esther Neonatal Kitten Alliance in Arden, NC. We’re one of the few organizations in the country dedicated solely to saving newborn and medically fragile kittens — the ones most shelters can’t care for because they require around-the-clock, specialized support. Since 2019, we’ve helped more than 2,000 of these tiny kittens survive and thrive.
What makes our work unique is that we don’t shy away from the hard cases — the premature kittens, the ones with birth defects, the ones who need tube-feeding or intensive medical care. We believe every kitten deserves a chance, and we’ve built programs around providing exactly that. Beyond rescue, we also support shelters and rescues across the region with training, foster development, and education to help more communities save vulnerable kittens.
Right now, we’re focused on expanding our impact: building stronger foster networks, creating resources for shelters nationwide, and growing community support so we can say “yes” to even more kittens who need us.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who taught you the most about work?
The kittens themselves have been my greatest teachers. No textbook or training program can compare to what I’ve learned by sitting with a one-day-old orphan whose entire survival depends on me. They’ve taught me resilience, patience, and the importance of showing up consistently — even when it’s exhausting or hard.
Beyond that, the people I’ve worked alongside in rescue, from shelter staff to foster parents, have shaped me too. Seeing their dedication and creativity in impossible situations has inspired me to keep pushing, learning, and finding solutions. But at the heart of it, it’s the kittens who remind me every day why this work matters and what it takes to keep going.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
There have absolutely been moments when I almost gave up — usually when several things collided at once. I remember during Hurricane Helene, with roads washed out and power and cell service gone, we were running incubators off a donated generator, juggling dozens of fragile babies, and trying to find fuel, supplies, and staff while the whole town was in crisis.
I’ve also been at my lowest after an intake from an overwhelmed county shelter: too many neonates, not enough foster homes, and a veterinary bill that made my stomach drop. Those nights I’d lie awake thinking, “How do we keep doing this?”
What pulled me back each time wasn’t a single thing. It was small, stubborn hope — a kitten that latched when we thought she wouldn’t, a foster who stayed up for a midnight feed, a donor who covered a surprise surgery, or a volunteer who quietly fixed something so we could keep going. Those moments, and the people who show up for them, remind me why we started Esther Neonatal Kitten Alliance: these kittens don’t have anyone else, and sometimes they only get one shot. That responsibility is heavy, but it’s also what keeps me going.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I’m committed to the belief that every kitten — no matter how fragile, sick, or “imperfect” — deserves a chance. A lot of organizations focus on the easy-to-save animals because resources are limited, but I’ll always stand by the ones who are hardest to help: the premature babies, the ones with birth defects, the ones everyone else says “can’t make it.”
On a bigger scale, I’m committed to building a network of shelters, rescues, and foster families who are prepared before kitten season hits. Too many kittens are still lost simply because no plan is in place. Creating those safety nets — training, mentoring, and supply kits — is a project I’ll keep pushing forward, no matter how long it takes, because I believe it’s how we’ll truly build communities where kittens aren’t dying simply because nobody is trained or willing to care for them.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
When people tell my story, I want them to tell how I loved the least-likely-to-survive kittens with stubborn, relentless care — the ones other places couldn’t help. I want them to say I built a messy, brave little rescue that chose hard cases and taught others how to do the same; that I showed up at 3 a.m. for tube feeds, asked for help when we needed it, and celebrated the small, miraculous wins that most people never saw. More than trophies or numbers, I hope they remember the way our community rallied — fosters, volunteers, vets, and donors — and how together we made room for hope when there wasn’t any. If my legacy is a kinder, better-prepared network that refuses to give up on fragile lives, then I’ll have done what I came here to do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kittenalliance.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kittenalliance
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kittenalliance
Image Credits
Esther Neonatal Kitten Alliance
