I Found a Kitten!
Now What?First, STOP!
Ask yourself:
Are the kittens in immediate danger?
Has mom been away from the kittens for over 8 hours?
If the answer is no:
Leave the kittens be! Mom is the best option for the littles ones and they have the best chance of survival with her. Although, if possible, it doesn’t hurt to keep an eye on Mom and babies from afar to make sure issues don’t arise in the future.
However, to avoid more outdoor kitten being born, it is important to trap mom and the babies and have them spayed and neutered. How does that work? Click here for more information on taking feral cats for TNR (Trap-Neuter-Release)!
If the Answer is yes:
Pick up those kittens!
A little confused on how to do that? Kitten Lady has some tips on how to trap and handle feral cats and kittens to prevent more outdoor kittens from being born.
How old is the kitten?
Alley Cat allies has your answer
I’ve picked up the kittens
What’s my next step?
Get a Heat source and a blanket!
A microwaveable disk or a sock filled with rice will work in a pinch.
Young kittens (under 4 weeks) can’t keep themselves warm so it’s important for you to provide a way for them to be warm! Throw the rice-filled sock in the microwave for 30 seconds and check to make sure it isn’t too warm for the kittens.
kitten milk formula
Kitten tummies are very sensitive so it is very important to only feed kittens warm, fresh kitten milk replacer (available at your local pet store or Safeway/etc).
Make sure it is always fresh (made within 24 hours)!
No other milk for these babies, please! Kittens are good at getting diarrhea, which can be very detrimental to these young babies.
If kittens are not interested in drinking milk, have some kitten wet food on hand – some kittens wean themselves early. The most important thing is that they eat!
But wait!
I have other cats at home!
Be sure to keep the kittens separated, just in case they may be carrying any diseases that could spread to your cats. Just as a precaution! Better to be safe than sorry!
Can’t hold onto them long?
Reach out to us!
Please include the following information:
- Approximate age (use the guide below to help – it’s not important but it gives us a better idea of what specific care your kittens will need!)
- Anything abnormal you might notice (goopy eyes, diarrhea, sneezing, etc!)
- If they are eating on their own or dependent on bottle feeding, etc
After you’ve sent us an email, just hang tight – we are reaching out to our foster and project coordinators to make arrangements! This can take a couple of days but we are working hard to see if we can place your kittens in a loving foster home.
In the event that we cannot, due to lack of foster homes, here is a list of rescues you can reach out to see if they can take your kittens:
We are a student-run organization and sometimes it takes a day or two for us to see if we can place your kittens.
If we respond that we can take your kittens, great! We will figure out transport of your kittens to a foster home and put you in contact with the foster and vet student who will be coordinating their care.