Caring for Orphaned Kittens

What should you do if you find a baby kitten or kittens? You have several options that depend on the age of the kittens, the situation in which you find them and how much you want to be involved.

Unfortunately, animal shelters like PHS do not have the space or facilities to care for the hundreds of underage kittens that arrive during the summer months. During "kitten season" (Spring to Fall) all of our foster homes fill up quickly and most underage kittens must be euthanized immediately. If you are able to care for the kittens until they are at least two pounds you are giving them a chance to get adopted! If you found the kittens in one of our service cities, we will take them in as strays and put them up for adoption, though their outcome cannot be guaranteed.

Caring for orphaned kittens requires dedication and a lot of knowledge. Did you know a young kitten can die simply from not getting affection/being handled? (If their eyes aren't open, they are under 10 days old and need to be held at least three hours a day.) That getting wet can chill them to death? That they have to be stimulated to go to the bathroom? Sue Freeman has done such a good job of detailing How To Care For Orphaned Kittens we won't repeat it all here, but recommend visiting her website.

  • MOM & BABIES - If you find one or more baby kittens, their best chance of survival is to be reunited with their mother. If the mother cat is in the middle of moving her litter, you may find anywhere from one to five kittens. If the kittens are not in a safe area, try to confine them in a high-sided box as close as possible to the spot you found them and observe them while you wait for the mother to come back. If they are young enough, they will not be able to climb out of the box but the mother can jump in to get them. Click here for how to tell the age of a kitten. If the kittens feel cold, warm them by holding them close to your body or if you have a hot water bottle, put that in the box with them.

    If the mother cat may be a feral cat (not friendly towards humans), her kittens will be feral as well. If the litter is on your property and in a safe area, you can decide if you want to make a shelter for them and feed/care for the litter. For more info on caring for feral cats, read this. If you spend enough time each day socializing with the kittens, when they are six weeks old you can bring them indoors and spend the next two weeks teaching them to eat cat food and use a litter box. Then they will be ready for adoption! Kittens may be spayed/neutered as soon as they reach two pounds. We advise spaying/neutering all kittens before placing them into homes. Low cost and free spay/neuter info here.

    If the mother cat is tame, you may confine her and her babies and decide if you are going to care for them while you try to locate an owner or you may bring them all in to the animal shelter that services the area where you found them.

  • ABANDONED LITTER OF KITENS - If the mother cat doesn't return, you must decide if you will take them in and care for them or bring them to the local shelter.

  • SINGLE KITTEN - If it is a single kitten over one week old and the mother does not return for it, she may have sensed that there is something wrong with this kitten such as disease, deformity, congenital weakness. Be prepared because the younger single kittens are, the less chance they have of survival despite the good care that you give them.

    If you have any questions after reading this and Sue Freeman's guide, please feel free to call our main office at 626-792-7151.

Kitten Care Supplies at PetSmart


KMR Liquid for Kittens - ready to feed milk supplement contains the nutrients kittens need to grow strong and healthy. Use for orphaned or rejected kittens or kittens needing extra nutrition.

 


KMR Emergency Kit- Contains KMR Kitten Milk Replacer, nurser bottle (2 oz.) and Bene Bac pet gel, booklet "Guide to Saving Little Lives." Everything you need to nurse a kitten.


Kitten Mothering Kit - these hand feeding syringes can be used for feeding formula, water or medications. Each one holds up to 1/2 ounce. Uuseful when feeding orphaned kittens.

 

Other items you'll need: low-sided litter pan, non-clumping litter, towels, low water & food dishes, canned kitten food (mix with water to soften).