Found a Kitten?

What do I do now?

If you find a kitten:

First, leave the kitten(s) aloneand observe them from a distance. Their mother might simply be out hunting. Do not interact with them for at least 8 hours.  If the kitten is visibly injured or sick, skip the observation period and carefully bring the kitten inside, or place them in a box or cat carrier lined with towels or blankets. Take them to a veterinarian as soon as possible. If their mother comes back, determine if the mother and kittens have a human caregiver. 

  • Check if the mother cat has a microchip using a handheld scanner (available to purchase at pet stores or online), or take them to a vet or pet care clinic.

  • Ask your neighbors if any of them recognize the cats. Take a picture and share it on Nextdoor, Facebook, Pawboost.com etc.

  • Call your local animal shelter and ask if anyone reported a missing cat that matches the mother’s description.

Trying to bring kittens and/or mother cats inside before kittens are weaned could be extremely stressful and even traumatizing.

If the cats do not have caregivers, continue to watch them and provide them with a shelter and clean food and water daily. Once the kittens are weaned at 6-8 weeks old, they and the mother cat can be spayed/neutered.  Once the kittens have been weaned, you can take the entire family inside and care for them. Begin advertising the kittens to friends, family, and neighbors. If the mother does not come back after 8+ hours, you can bring the entire litter inside and care for them until they are 6-8 weeks old.

Learn how to make an outdoor cat shelter | How to Help Outdoor Cats in the Winter

Learn how to tell a kitten’s age | kittenlady.org/age

Learn how to safely catch cats and kittens | How to use Humane Cat Traps for TNVR

Humane Cat traps can be found at some hardware stores and can be found online at Trucatch and Havahart

Affordable spay/neuter clinics | spay/neuter‍

Be sure to get the mother cat spayed as well as the kittens! 

Best Friends | 7 tips from a social media pro on promoting your foster pet

Learn more about caring for mother cats and kittens | kittenlady.org/mama

Supply list for bottle feeding | Arizona Humane Society Caring for Kittens List | Neonatal kitten care “go kit”

If you find a pregnant cat: 

  • Determine if she has a human caregiver. 

    • Check if the mother cat has a microchip using a handheld scanner (available to purchase at pet stores or online), or take them to a vet or pet care clinic. 

    • Ask your neighbors if any of them recognizes her. Take a picture and share it on Nextdoor, Facebook, etc. 

    • Call your local animal shelter and ask if anyone reported a missing cat that matches her description. 

  • If she does not have a human caregiver: Try to catch her and bring her to a veterinarian to confirm her pregnancy. 

    • Learn how to safely catch cats: 

    • Depending on the stage of her pregnancy, you might have the option of spaying her and terminating the pregnancy. 

    • If you do not terminate the pregnancy, care for her until she gives birth. Spay/neuter the mother and kittens as soon as possible. 

    • Once they are all spayed/neutered, the kittens can be adopted. Begin advertising them to friends, family, and neighbors. 

  • Learn about caring for pregnant cats and newborn kittens: https://library.kittencoalition.org/topics/pregnant-and-nursing-queens/

Kitten Caring Info:

  • Once the kittens are weaned, they can be spayed/neutered. 

  • Once they are all spayed/neutered, the kittens can be adopted. Begin advertising them to friends, family, and neighbors. 

  • During spring, or kitten season, shelters are often overrun with kittens and will not be able to take more in. Adopting out the kittens yourself is the best way to ensure they quickly find their forever homes! 

If you need guidance or resources during this process, please email community@henricohumane.org