Let’s imagine. One day, you are walking on your way home from work, then suddenly you hear faint little meows by a nearby alley where you find a box of kittens with their mother nowhere to be seen.
What do you do? You can’t just leave them!
Before making any rash decisions or even thinking about taking the kittens home with you, check out these tips.
1.Check for immediate danger
First and foremost, check if the kittens are in a safe place and if they are not cold. Kittens need to be kept in a warm and dry area.
2. Do not take them home immediately
It’s normal for mother cats to be away from their young for several hours. She may be searching for food for her kittens or for herself, so she could stay nourished in order to produce milk. She could also be in the middle of finding a safer location where she could transfer her kittens.
3. Keep your distance from the kittens
Stray cats are wary of predators. The mother will refuse to go near the kittens in the presence of a human, so it’s best to keep a safe distance and observe.
4. Do not put food next to the kittens to lure the mother cat
Another reminder is not to put food to get the mother to come, because usually, mother cats purposely put their young away from food sources so as not to attract other cats and predators.
5. If the mother cat comes back, offer her food and water
The kittens have the best chance of survival if their mother returns. It’s best to leave them with their mother, because it is important for them to drink her milk, especially in the first two weeks. Their mother’s milk contains antibodies and nutrients that would help them grow healthy and strengthen their immunity.
This does not mean you have to leave them be; rather, you can help by keeping mama cat nourished and healthy. Once she trusts you, you could take her and her kitties to a safer place (or adopt them to your home).
6. If the mother does not come back, provide first aid
If after several hours the mother cat has yet to return, the best course of action is to provide warmth to the kittens immediately. Bring a warm towel or compress and gently place these near them.
You also need to buy supplies – most importantly, kitten milk formula. Newborn kittens need to be fed every two to three hours, so be ready to be committed in caring for them. Lastly, bring them to your nearest veterinarian as soon as possible to check if they have any health problems. The veterinarian could also help give you advice on how to care for them in the best way.
With all that said, I hope you find these tips helpful. Good luck!
You might want to read:
– Kittens too thankful to stop cuddling police officer who rescued him
– Robotic pups and kittens help trigger happy memories in dementia patients
– Woman documents her attempts in taking care of a cat who visits her every day
