Kitten Season

Please don't kidnap the kittens!

Do not remove found young or newborn kittens from their mother!  

Although most people think they are doing the right thing, newborn to four-week old kittens are better off with the mother cat to take care of them and the sad truth is that the majority do not survive if removed. Kittens under four weeks of age must be bottle fed around the clock and local shelters and most rescues do not have the resources to take care of them. Rescues are better able to handle orphan kittens four weeks and older.  If you find any stray kitten, leave it alone and check back every so often for three hours.  Mother cats have to leave their kittens to hunt for food and will usually return within 3 hours. Sometimes the mother cat is moving their kittens and you might happen upon a kitten in that process.  Remove kitten(s) only after three or more hours have passed and the mother cat has not returned or is nowhere in sight.

HELPFUL HINT:

If you cannot stay with the kittens to watch for the mother, scatter a ring of flour around the kittens. If the mother returns, you will see her paw prints in the flour.

WHEN MOMMA DOESN'T RETURN:

If you have waited for hours and momma cat has not return or looks sick or injured, then you will need to intervene and provide care  in her place.  Taking the kittens to the shelter does NOT mean they will have a chance.  While every shelter in Monterey County does their best to save as many lives as possible, there are simply not enough homes for all the kittens that come in each year.   If you can provide care for the kittens until they are 8 weeks old, it will truly save lives.  Even better, get them spayed/ neutered and find them a loving home.  It will save resources for the kittens that do end up in the shelters and give them a decent chance.

Please call us if you are not able to provide care for the kittens and we'll assist you further.

KITTEN CARE RESOURCES:

https://www.alleycat.org/resources/how-old-is-that-kitten-guide/

 http://www.kittenlady.org/kitten-care

https://kittencoalition.org/resources/ 

https://www.uwsheltermedicine.com/library/guidebooks/guide-to-raising-underage-kittens/caring-for-kittens-from-birth-to-eight-weeks