However, Kitten Season isn’t something to celebrate because so many kittens are born and there are not enough adoptive or foster homes to save them all. Every year, local shelters are inundated with thousands of kittens and most shelters lack the resources and knowledge needed to provide them proper care. In many shelters, kittens too young to be adopted are often euthanized immediately. Taking motherless kittens to your local shelter should be avoided if at all possible. Often times, the kittens are not actually abandoned - their momma is probably close by and has just stepped away in search of food.

When people assume kittens have been abandoned without first making sure their mom isn’t nearby, they inadvertently do more harm than good since the very best chance a kitten has is with it’s mom. So before you accidentally kittennap some babies, follow these steps before making the decision to take them to an animal shelter.

first, watch & wait

Wait at a safe distance and watch closely to ensure momma has actually abandoned them and is not just our in pursuit of food or in the process of moving her babies to a different location. Do not approach them. Do not touch them. Leave them completely undisturbed. If momma is nearby and sees you moving about her current nest, she may decide to not come back!

Instead, keep your distance and stay away from the kittens - approximately 35’ or more. Getting too close can cause momma to not approach her kittens. Sometimes, you may even need to go away completely before momma will return to the nest. It can take a several hours before the mom cat feels it is safe to return to their kittens.

If you need to leave before you see momma return, evaluate whether or not the kittens are in immediate danger: Is it raining? Are there dogs, raccoons, or other people nearby that may harm the kittens? Are the kittens located in an area with heavy foot or car traffic?

Momma cats can take several hours to return, and as long as the kittens seem healthy, they should be able to survive that time until mom returns. Mommas have a natural instinct that lets her know how long she can safely leave them on their own in the nest. However, if the kittens are younger than 4 weeks of age or are found all alone, you may also want to leave a hot water bottle or warm rice sock near the nest to ensure the kittens stay warm. We should only intervene after we’ve waited long enough and are positive mom is not returning or if the kittens are not healthy and need immediate medical care. Staying with mom is the best place for the kittens, so the goal is to keep the family together for as long as possible.

what to do if mom cat returns

If mama returns and the area is relatively safe, leave the kittens alone with momma until they are about 6 weeks old and are eating well on their own. You can offer a shelter and regular food to momma to keep her in this location so that you rescue them all when they are older. Keep the food and shelter at a distance from each other. Momma will find the food but will not accept your shelter if the food is nearby, because she will not want to attract other cats to food located near her nest.

Six weeks is the optimal age to take the kittens from a feral momma cat for socialization and to prepare them for adoption when they are over 8 weeks old and 2 lbs in weight. Female cats can become pregnant with a new litter even while they are still nursing, so it’s a good idea to trap mama at the same time you take the kittens. Otherwise, she may split and have more babies right away that you’ll have to rescue. Contact your local low cost spay and neuter clinics or TNR group in your area to help stop this cycle of homeless kittens!

what to do if mom cat does not return

If you determine that mama is not returning or she was hit by a car, it’s now your time to be a kitten hero and rescue them. This is crucial to the kittens’ survival. Be prepared to see this project through to weaning and adoption if you decide to intervene. If you take the kittens in, it is unlikely that you will find an organization with available staff or volunteers to take on bottle-feeding on short notice. Some organizations do have experienced bottle-feeders, but prior logistical planning is necessary. Animal shelters and veterinarians generally do not take in newborn kittens or will choose euthanasia, since they do not have the staff to feed and stimulate them for elimination around-the-clock. But don’t worry, The Little Lion Foundation is happy to help you every step of the way. We can also teach you the proper technique should your kittens need to be bottle fed in the first weeks and can be a point on contact for any advice you may need to ensure success!

But if you’re willing to chip in and foster the kittens yourself, we would be willing to work with you on making sure your kittens have the right medical care, food, and support. And once they are old enough to be placed for adoption, we’ll get them posted on our adoption listings and find them their homes! If you find kittens and are interested in fostering them under The Little Lion Foundation, learn more about fostering here!