I Found an Abandoned Kitten ... Now What?
If you find abandoned kittens, the first thing to determine is if the kittens are truly abandoned. If the kittens are in a box, they are likely abandoned. But if the kittens are not, there is a chance that the mom is somewhere nearby. If the kittens appear clean, well fed, and are sleeping quietly in a heap, they likely have a mom nearby. If the kittens are dirty and crying continuously, there is a greater chance that they are truly abandoned. To determine if the kittens are truly abandoned, closely monitor from afar for several hours to see if the mom returns, unless the kittens are in immediate danger.
Kittens with a Stray Mom
If you're unable to provide food, water, and shelter to the mom and kittens you should contact your local veterinarian or animal shelter.
Abandoned Kitten Care
One of the first things you should do is bring the kittens to a local veterinarian to make sure they are healthy and don't have any health concerns. Your local veterinarian should also be able to give you advice on raising the kittens.
Determining the Age of the Kittens
It is important to determine the kitten's approximate age, because this affects what care they will need. This is a great website with descriptions and pictures of the stages of a newborn kitten: https://www.alleycat.org/resources/kitten-progression/
Caring For Kittens Under 4 Weeks Old
Kittens should be kept in a box or small area that is warm, draft-free, and isolated from other animals. As kittens get older, they will need more room. A spare bathroom is an ideal location.
Keeping the kittens warm is extremely important. Kittens cannot control their body temperature under three weeks old. Provide preferably a heating lamp or a heating pad on low with at least 2 layers of towels covering the heating pad. If the kittens are unable to move off of the heating pad, do NOT use a heating pad. If the kittens sleep on the edges of the heating pad, it is too warm. You should never feed a kitten that is cold, warm them up slowly first. To tell if a kitten is cold, feel the pads of their feet, ears, and inside their mouth. If that feels cool or cold, the temperature is too low. To warm up, warm slowly over at least 20 minutes by wrapping in a towel or blanket, holding close to your body, and rubbing with your warm hands.
Kittens under 4 weeks old cannot eat solid food (not canned or dry food) and cannot urinate or defecate on their own, so you must bottle-feed them and stimulate their genitals after every feeding so they can eliminate.
If you have kittens less than one week old, they will need to be fed and stimulated every three hours. If the kittens are unusually small or sickly, they might need to be fed every two hours.
As the kittens age, the number of feedings they need per day goes down. You can start weaning at four weeks of age.
Feed powdered kitten replacement formula. PetAg KMR Powder is a good choice. Never feed cow's milk, as most cats are lactose intolerant.
It is a good idea to weigh the kittens daily to make sure they are gaining weight. Their weight can also be used to help determine their age.
If you are unable to provide appropriate care, are unsure, or have questions at any time, contact your local veterinarian or animal shelter.
Kittens Over 4 Weeks Old
At four to five weeks old, kittens can be weaned using formula and wet kitten food. As the kittens get older they will need more space to move around and play. Starting at 6 weeks old, the kittens need to start their vaccinations. Once they are fully vaccinated and spayed or neutered, they can go to their forever homes! For low cost spay and neuter options, click here.
Resources
http://www.animalalliancenyc.org/wordpress/2013/05/what-to-do-and-not-do-if-you-find-a-newborn-kitten/
https://kittenrescue.org/2017/03/raising-orphaned-kittens/
https://www.thedodo.com/heres-what-to-do-if-you-find-a-litter-of-kittens-1670720479.html
https://www.alleycat.org/resources/kitten-progression/
One of the first things you should do is bring the kittens to a local veterinarian to make sure they are healthy and don't have any health concerns. Your local veterinarian should also be able to give you advice on raising the kittens.
Determining the Age of the Kittens
It is important to determine the kitten's approximate age, because this affects what care they will need. This is a great website with descriptions and pictures of the stages of a newborn kitten: https://www.alleycat.org/resources/kitten-progression/
Caring For Kittens Under 4 Weeks Old
Kittens should be kept in a box or small area that is warm, draft-free, and isolated from other animals. As kittens get older, they will need more room. A spare bathroom is an ideal location.
Keeping the kittens warm is extremely important. Kittens cannot control their body temperature under three weeks old. Provide preferably a heating lamp or a heating pad on low with at least 2 layers of towels covering the heating pad. If the kittens are unable to move off of the heating pad, do NOT use a heating pad. If the kittens sleep on the edges of the heating pad, it is too warm. You should never feed a kitten that is cold, warm them up slowly first. To tell if a kitten is cold, feel the pads of their feet, ears, and inside their mouth. If that feels cool or cold, the temperature is too low. To warm up, warm slowly over at least 20 minutes by wrapping in a towel or blanket, holding close to your body, and rubbing with your warm hands.
Kittens under 4 weeks old cannot eat solid food (not canned or dry food) and cannot urinate or defecate on their own, so you must bottle-feed them and stimulate their genitals after every feeding so they can eliminate.
If you have kittens less than one week old, they will need to be fed and stimulated every three hours. If the kittens are unusually small or sickly, they might need to be fed every two hours.
As the kittens age, the number of feedings they need per day goes down. You can start weaning at four weeks of age.
Feed powdered kitten replacement formula. PetAg KMR Powder is a good choice. Never feed cow's milk, as most cats are lactose intolerant.
It is a good idea to weigh the kittens daily to make sure they are gaining weight. Their weight can also be used to help determine their age.
If you are unable to provide appropriate care, are unsure, or have questions at any time, contact your local veterinarian or animal shelter.
Kittens Over 4 Weeks Old
At four to five weeks old, kittens can be weaned using formula and wet kitten food. As the kittens get older they will need more space to move around and play. Starting at 6 weeks old, the kittens need to start their vaccinations. Once they are fully vaccinated and spayed or neutered, they can go to their forever homes! For low cost spay and neuter options, click here.
Resources
http://www.animalalliancenyc.org/wordpress/2013/05/what-to-do-and-not-do-if-you-find-a-newborn-kitten/
https://kittenrescue.org/2017/03/raising-orphaned-kittens/
https://www.thedodo.com/heres-what-to-do-if-you-find-a-litter-of-kittens-1670720479.html
https://www.alleycat.org/resources/kitten-progression/