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Found Kittens

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Found Kittens
Found kittens decision tree for care and next steps

Before Jumping to the Rescue... Wait!

  • Mama cat may be off searching for food. She has to keep herself well fed to produce milk for the babies! It’s not unusual for her to be gone several hours. She may also be moving her babies to a new location, especially if you’ve found one kitten alone.
  • Removing kittens from their mother lowers their chances of survival.
  • Unsure? Call us at 510-790-6645 before touching the kittens.

Assess the Kittens’ Condition

  • Does their fur look healthy, full, and fluffy?
  • Are they sleeping quietly, in a heap?
  • Are they dry?
  • Are they dirty or sickly? Eyes crusty?
  • Are they crying or squalling?
  • Are they wet or soaked?

Assess the Environment

Are the kittens in immediate danger from:

  • Rain, wet weather, or flooding
  • Cold temperatures
  • Wild animals, raccoons, or dogs
  • Traffic, pedestrians, unfriendly neighbors, kids, bikes, or cars

Watch and Wait

Watch to see if the mama cat returns. Monitor from as far away as possible.

  • Do not place food near the kittens to lure mama cat. She purposely hides her litter away from food sources to avoid attracting other animals.
  • You may need to leave completely and come back in 6–8 hours. If Mama cat is feral, she may wait until she no longer senses humans nearby.
  • Healthy kittens can survive several hours without food as long as they are warm. During typical kitten season’ spring and summer months, waiting a longer time to see if Mama Cat will come back is usually very safe.
  • Mother cats give kittens the best chance of survival. Wait and watch as long as you can. Her milk provides ideal nutrition and important immune support.

Important: Neonatal kittens are more at risk of hypothermia than starvation.

Taking Kittens In

  • Only remove the kittens if they are in immediate danger or appear very sick.
  • If mama cat returns and the area is relatively safe, leave the kittens with her until they are weaned (6–8 weeks).
  • You can offer shelter and food to mama cat, but keep them separate. She won’t use a shelter placed next to food because she will not want to attract other cats or predators to food located near her nest.
  • It’s best to leave kittens with their mother for at least five weeks. Six to eight weeks is the best time for adoption or TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return).

Note: Female cats can become pregnant again while still nursing. Be sure to get mama cat spayed to prevent more kittens. For advice or help with trapping and local TNR programs, contact Ohlone Humane Society.

Take Action

If you decide to help directly, be ready to care for the kittens for several days or weeks until you can get help. If they appear sick or need medical care, email us or call 510-790-6645 before touching them. They may need emergency veterinary care.

Foster Kittens

  • Fostering is free.
  • The shelter provides all supplies and veterinary care.
  • Most foster periods last up to 7 weeks, often less depending on the kittens' age.

To learn more about fostering a litter you’ve found, email photos and details, we can help.

Resources

From the Kitten Lady:

Thank you, Kitten Lady, for the graphics.

 

Kitten development timeline from birth to 8 weeks