Mom Cats & Kittens
If you see kittens under 8 weeks old and their mom is around, DO NOT SEPARATE THEM FROM THEIR MOM unless absolutely necessary.
If you do not see their mother, don't assume they don't have one!
Mom could be out looking for food or just taking a break. Watch for a few hours from a hidden spot for a few hours to see if mom returns.
Provide shelter, water and food for mom to support her. Do not touch the babies unless they are in danger.
Orphaned kittens are a lot of work, and need to be bottle fed every 2-3 hours.
There are not enough people who are able to do this, and humans will not match mom's level of care.
For information on how to catch mom & kittens, please read this.
If you have waited for hours and a young kitten's mother never returns, you will have to intervene.
You should also step in if the kittens or their mother look sick or injured.
If mom is feral, please watch this video.
Mom should not be spayed until babies are old enough to be without her for some hours (around 4 weeks old), and she should ABSOLUTELY be spayed. Read more about the hardships unfixed cats go through here. Mom can be TNR'd if she is feral, and she seems ready to be away from the babies (around the 8 week mark).
All reference material is provided by the Kitten Lady.
Please visit the following links for information on mom cats & kittens:
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Kitten Lady's Playlist of Instructional Videos
PLEASE do not give unfixed and unvetted cats/kittens you find out to strangers online or to people who will not properly care for them. There are people in this world who look for free animals online to hurt. Please try your best to hand the cats/kittens over to a shelter or rescue.
PLEASE get your pet cats or outdoor cats fixed. Shelters and rescues are incredibly overwhelmed. Information about TNR and low cost spay/neuter clinics can be found here.
If you are able and willing to learn how to bottle feed and take care of orphaned kittens, sign up to foster for a rescue or your local shelter.
