04/16/2024
KITTEN SEASON HAS STARTED AND THIS IS IMPORTANT INFO IF YOU FIND KITTENS !!!!!!!!!!
What to do and NOT do FOR TINY KITTENS
During high kitten season in the spring and summer, it’s not unusual to discover a nest of unattended kittens or a single kitten seemingly abandoned by the mother. You want to help, right?
Before jumping to the rescue,
WAIT…
Mama Cat may be off searching for food. She has to keep herself well fed to produce milk for the babies! It is not unusual for a mama cat to be gone several hours. She may also be in the process of moving the babies from one location to another (especially if you’ve found one alone).
Assess the kittens’ apparent health:
*. Does their fur look healthy, full and fluffy? T
OR Are they dirty? Sickly? Eyes crusty?
*. Are they sleeping quietly? In a heap? OR Are they crying? Squalling?
*. Are they dry? OR Are they wet/soaked?
Are the kittens in IMMEDIATE danger from:
Rain? Wet weather/flooding? Cold?
Wild animals? Dogs?
Traffic – pedestrian foot traffic? mean neighbors/kids? bicycles or cars?
UNLESS THE KITTENS ARE IN IMMEDIATELY DANGER
it is best to watch to see if the mama cat will return. You should be at least 35 feet away (more is better).
Do NOT place food near the kittens to lure Mama Cat. (Mama Cat almost always purposely hides her litter away from food sources as she knows that food will attract other cats and even bigger predators!)
You may need to leave completely and come back later (4-6 hours) to check whether the kittens are still OK (dry, sleeping/quiet, appear fed, etc.) Especially if she’s feral, Mama Cat will most likely NOT return until she no longer senses human presence.
Know that healthy kittens can survive several hours without food as long as they are warm.
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