How to tell if stray kittens need to be rescued
Uncertainty about whether a mother cat is still caring for the kittens makes it difficult to know when to step in. People worry about bringing home a kitten that has fleas or exposing their own pets to risk, stopping them from knowing the right protocol to help.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Leaving the kittens where they are with food
- 2Trying to feed the cats to build trust and catch them later
- 3Looking for local residents to help with trap-neuter-return programs
- 4Feed the stray and find a vet near you that gives discounts for strays
- 5Provide water, a box, and a baby blanket to lay and hide in while waiting to see if the mother comes back
- 6Bring the kitten inside, keep it in the bathroom overnight, and then take it to the vet for shots and a checkup
- 7Feeding them treats like tubes
- 8Trying to catch them by hand
- 9Getting cat milk from the store and planning a vet visit
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I just arrived to my complex and found this kitten outside, I’m not too familiar with the protocol but I would like to help her.”source ↗
“I would’ve wanted to bring her in but I’m not sure that’s the best idea.”source ↗
“I‘m a little lost. I think this one might be around 4 weeks? It’s walking fast, climbing, has open blue eyes and upright ears. He looks well fed too? Or possibly wormy.”source ↗
“found 2 kittens living under my moms house. no mom or dad from the looks of it.”source ↗
“have no idea how long they have been without food. was thinking of getting them some cat milk from the store and try to get them from under the house and to the vet but have no idea how to go about it.”source ↗
“I really don’t know which one of he cats is the mom, since none of the females cares for the kittens.”source ↗
“I’m just nervous to do so in case she has fleas? I do have a cat at home so I’m also worried for her sake”source ↗