It can be distressing when you come across an orphaned kitten or litter. Sometimes cats with owners can be mistaken as an unowned cat.
While providing the following information we want to emphasise the importance of having cats returned to their owners. Sometimes unowned cats live close to humans and may be being supported by a local resident. In these situations we encourage the individual to take full ownership of the cat to ensure the future health and well being of it.
We have put together our top tips on what to do in the event you come across a litter of kittens.
1. Have the kitten/s really been abandoned?
In order for mother cats to keep themselves fed and able to support her kittens, she may leave her nest for a few hours at a time. It is best to give her a bit of space and wait to see if she returns. Sometimes the mother cat can move her kittens in order to ensure the safety of her litter. Often, a mother cat will move a litter several times, so the place you may find them could be a temporary spot. If you can see that the kittens are clean, plump and quiet, they are okay and mum is nearby.
2. Observe from a distance
If you are concerned that the mother cat might not be coming back, watch the nest but do not get too close. If the mother cat is unsocialised and she smells human scent near her nest, she might be too frightened to come back and care for her kittens. Kittens usually need to eat every four to six hours, so if it has been 12 hours since you found the kitten/s and the mother has not come back, something is definitely wrong and you can take the next step.
3. Warm them up
If you have waited a few hours and the mother is not in sight you can take some precautionary measures whilst waiting. Kittens less than three weeks old cannot control their own body temperature and can easily get cold even when the outdoor temperatures are warm. This could be disastrous for the kitten/s, they might be lethargic and may actually feel cold to the touch. To warm them up, prepare a nest lined with towels or blankets and put a ‘warm’ hot water bottle underneath. The water bottle should not be boiling hot where it can burn the skin if a kitten were to touch it. Be sure to leave a space in the nest where they can crawl away if they get too hot.
4. Call for help
The mothers own milk is by far the best nutrition a growing kitten can get. During the height of kitten season Geelong Animal Welfare Society (GAWS) often have nursing mother cats who can potentially take on some extra kittens for feeding. GAWS has experienced staff able to bottle feed newborn kittens safely, address potential health concerns and have veterinary assistance onsite. Abandoned kittens must be taken to your nearest vet or animal shelter as soon as possible. Please do not try to feed them, as this can cause harm. If you are unable to transport please call 5272 5272 for a City of Greater Geelong Animal Management Officer to attend to pick up the kitten/s.