Found kittens outside: when to help and when to wait

Why waiting is usually best

Mother cats leave their kittens for periods of time to find food, and often move them one at a time to a new spot. If you take the kittens while she is away, they lose the care that keeps them alive best: her warmth and her milk. Hand-raising very young kittens is hard, even for experienced rescuers.

So unless the kittens are in danger, give the mother a chance. Step well back, ideally where she can't see you, and watch quietly.

How to tell if the mother is coming back

Watch from a distance for a few hours. If you can't stay, check back regularly from far away. Signs that the kittens are being cared for include looking clean, round-bellied and sleeping quietly in a pile. A dusting of flour around the nest can show paw prints if you can't watch the whole time.

When kittens need help now

Step in if any of these are true:

• They are in immediate danger: a road, a drain, heavy rain, dogs or construction work.
• They are injured, have sticky or crusted eyes, or look very thin and weak.
• They feel cold to the touch or are wet.
• They cry constantly for a long time, which usually means they are hungry.
• The mother hasn't come back after several hours, or you know she has been hurt.

Roughly how old are they?

Age matters because it decides what kind of help they need. As a rough guide: kittens with closed eyes and folded ears are newborns, up to about two weeks old. Kittens with open eyes that are starting to wobble around are about two to four weeks. Kittens that walk and play steadily and have teeth are usually around four weeks or older and are starting to eat solid food. If you're not sure, a vet or rescue can tell you quickly.

If you take them in: warmth first

Cold kittens can't digest food, so warm them before anything else. Put them in a box lined with soft towels, with a heat source they can move away from, such as a hot-water bottle or a heat pad wrapped in a towel, and keep the box in a warm, quiet room. Warm them gradually.

Never give cow's milk. Young kittens need kitten milk replacer, available from vets and many pet shops, given in the right amount for their age. Very young kittens also need to be fed every few hours, day and night, and stimulated to go to the toilet. A local rescue or vet can show you how, or may be able to take them into foster care.

Older kittens and the mother

Kittens that are a little older and eating on their own can sometimes be caught together with their mother and taken in, so they can be socialized, neutered when old enough and adopted, while the mother is neutered and returned. Local trap-neuter-return groups often help with this, and some lend humane traps.

Tell people nearby

Report the kittens in StraySync with a photo and a note on whether the mother has been seen. Neighbors who feed street cats may already know the family, and a local rescuer may be able to help.