Please visit these other kitten care resources:
When we find a kitten, or a litter of kittens, our first impulse is to want to help them. But many kittens do not need us… or at least, not quite yet. The goal of the “Don’t Kitnap Kittens” initiative is to keep kittens with their mom as long as possible, instead of artificially creating orphan kittens. We have come to recognize the harm that early removal of kittens from their mother can cause. Where possible, try to leave the kittens where they are until they are starting to eat solid food on their own. Learn why the best place for tiny kittens is with their mother.
Kittens are one of the most fragile and vulnerable of the animal populations that Better Together Animal Alliance serve. It takes a village to help support these little lives and ensure proper population control.
A shelter, no matter how well-run, is not the best place for unweaned kittens. They are prone to upset stomachs from kitten formula and are vulnerable to infections. Kittens that are separated from their mother too early, particularly if they are on their own, often develop behavior problems that become lifelong issues.
The best kitten welfare and care come from a combination of trap-neuter-return (TNR), public education, foster recruitment, and support for pet lovers, like you, in our community.
What you should do when you find a kitten:
If kittens are healthy and doing well with mom, they should be left where they are until they can be socialized and adopted. Some kittens do need our help. If the kittens are cold, dirty, wet, or injured, or if the mom is unable to care for them, they need us, and fast. To find out if the kittens you have found need help, click here.
Kittens start to eat some soft food from about 3 weeks of age and gradually transition to harder food when their back teeth start to come in. By 6 weeks, they should be confidently eating hard food such as kibble. A kitten that can eat solid food on its own is at a good age for socialization in a foster home. If the mom is friendly and enjoys petting, though, the family can be moved indoors immediately.
If the kittens are alone when you find them, that does not mean they have been abandoned. If the kittens are healthy, that means their mother has been taking care of them. So long as they are in a safe location, we recommend you wait a minimum of 3 hours to see if the mom comes back. If you cannot watch for her, you can sprinkle flour on the ground nearby and look for paw prints later. If you do see the mom nearby, see SECTION 5: Do the kittens enjoy petting? to find out if the mom is friendly and should be brought into a foster home if her owner cannot be found.
The “Don’t Kitnap Kittens” initiative in animal sheltering recognizes that tiny kittens belong with mom, and that removing them too young has negative impacts on their health and welfare. So long as the kittens are healthy, we recommend you wait to see if the mother will return. The best place for tiny kittens is with their mother.
It is quite easy to assess if kittens enjoy petting – but first, some safety tips. Try to approach the kittens when the mom is not nearby, because mother cats can be very aggressive in defense of their babies, and serious injuries can result.
If you are sure the mom is not returning, these kittens will need help right away. See our kitten care information page for immediate care information for emergency formula instructions.
See our Care in Place resources for information about feeding, socializing and caring for kittens.
Look after them with our help and support. Contact info@BTAnimalAlliance.org or call (208) 265-7297 ext. 100.
We will find them a foster home. Contact info@BTAnimalAlliance.org or call (208) 265-7297 ext. 100.
Please visit these other kitten care resources: