make a kitty is an idiomatic expression of the Portuguese language (from Brazil) and means "to gather money with the help of several people with the intention of reaching a certain goal or buying something".
In English, the expression "make a cow" can be translated as "chip in" or "club together" - They all chipped in / clubbed together to buy Alfred an expensive gift - They made a kitty to buy an expensive gift for Alfred.
Origin of Kitty
The expression "to make a cow" emerged in the 20s of the 20th century, thanks to football. Back then, a lot of teams didn't pay their players, and those that did pay for sure didn't do it the way they do today. So, in 1923, the supporters of Vasco da Gama, a team from Rio de Janeiro, invented a way to encourage their players, so that they would exert even more effort in the games. The fans collected money and then distributed it to the players as a prize, according to the result obtained in the match.
The amount collected was related to the numbers of the animal game: 5, the dog's number, corresponded to 5,000 réis and was the reward for a draw; 10, rabbit's number was equivalent to 10 mil reis which rewarded a victory; 25, the number of the cow, was worth 25 thousand réis and was the highest prize awarded, only in the case of victory against stronger opponents or in the conquest of a title. This money that was collected by the fans, gave rise to the famous "vaquinha".
Time passed, and the expression "to make a kitty" came to be used by a group of people who get together to buy something or to achieve a specific purpose. Certainly these days, the professional players of the big teams don't need the "kitty" as a motivation, considering that they earn huge salaries.
Make a kitty online
These days, it's possible to "build a kitty" online. There are sites where you can sign up, say how much you need, and then get in touch with your friends so they can contribute to your cause.