When you find kittens, it is important to wait and not touch!
It is common for mom cats to leave their kittens unattended in order to get food.
If you find one kitten alone, the mom may be moving her kittens to a new location one by one.
A kitten has the best chance of survival when it is cared for by its mother! Kittens should be with their mothers until they are 6-8 weeks old.
As mentioned above, mom cats will leave their kittens for long stretches of time. It is important to stand back as far as possible and not touch the kittens for several hours to see if the mom returns.
Kittens can’t drink the same milk you drink! Only give them formula made specifically for kittens!
You are able to give the mom food + shelter. However, place the food + shelter far away from one another. If the food is too close to the shelter the mom won’t want her kittens there as other cats may come to close to her ‘nest’.
Please give the mom several hours, if possible, to return to her kittens. If she doesn’t return, or the kittens are in immediate danger, then call your local shelter or vet clinic for help. If the kittens still have their eyes closed, get them to a facility that can care for them asap!
The kittens are in immediate danger if:
– there are dogs or wild animals in the area threatening them
– they are in an area with heavy foot or car traffic
– they are outside in freezing temperatures
– it is heavily raining or snowing
