When I was about 11 years old I was walking home from the bus stop when I found a wiggly black trash bag on the side of the road. It was filled with kittens and maggots. I ran home to my mom with the bag of kittens who were literally being eaten alive. We didn't have the internet then, so consider yourself fortunate. Those kittens were clearly in need of emergency help. They'd obviously been abandoned. However, what happens when the choice isn't so clear?
Step One: Wait, where's momma?
Finding kittens can fill you with adrenaline and the desire to act. They're helpless and adorable! But before you move them, you need to consider if they're really in need of emergency saving. If mom is attentive to their needs, they NEED her despite whatever you might hear or think to the contrary. If kittens are warm, dry, and clean then momma is attentive. Kittens really need their mom at least until 8 weeks of age. She shows them how to be a cat and keeps them fed, warm, and happy. So, if at all possible, do not take kittens without waiting to see if mom is coming back. Don't make orphans (shelters may have to euthanize unweaned orphans and no rescue may be available). If mom is feral and you lack resources, they can be removed at 5 weeks old because now they're capable of weaning safely (though you must still be very careful they stay hydrated and fed).
Step Two: How old are they?
Now that you've determined if they're in danger and if they have a mom, you need to determine how old they are because that effects their care substantially. Check out the pictures if you haven't already. Alley Cat Allies and The Kitten Lady have great infographics. When the kittens are 0-5 weeks old they need specialized formula. They cannot have cow milk. You can use goat's milk if you've got access, but formulas like KMR and Breeder's Edge are more catered to their species. If the kitten is 5 weeks old, you can give them wet food and offer dry food. If they're clearly older than 12 weeks old and feral, your best option is to TNR them. If you know they're on the cusp of socialization and you have the ability, time, finances, etc to do it, go for it and try to socialize them. However, if they've not come around in 2 weeks, I recommend TNR because otherwise you risk creating a cat that can not go home and cannot be adopted out. I see it happen often.
Step Three: Where can they crash and get a bite to eat?
So now you know the situation and the age. One of the most important things to consider now is warmth. You must keep kittens warm if they don't have a mom. In The Kitten Lady's book, Tiny but Mighty, she explains the ambient temperatures needed at each age. For a pinch, you can fill water bottles with hot water and put them in a sock. It will stay warm for approximately 3 hours. Be sure to change them when cold because it will sap their heat. Make sure the kittens can move away from any heat source you use. Rice socks are an option, heat disks made for this (Snuggle Safe - 10hrs) are an option, and heating pads on low that don't shut off are also an option.
The new kitties and mom need a place that is quiet and away from resident pets. You don't want to risk spreading diseases or parasites. A two week quarantine is recommended. If you have itty bitty kittens 0-2 weeks, a storage bin works well. You can use pop-up play pens, dog crates, or a kitten-proofed room. A word of caution if you have a momma and tiny kittens or just tiny kittens - they can and will escape dog crates. Make sure you have a barrier or else you could end up to deceased kittens from getting too cold after getting out of the crate and not being able to get back in. If you have a mom with little kittens, make sure she has enough space to move around or else she could smother them accidently. If you have a momma cat, cover the space to offer her some privacy as it will keep her calm. An anxious cat can be prone to harming her kittens.
Now, what do you feed? Never feed a cold kitten. You need formula if you don't have mom. You can get some at Wal-Mart, Tractor Supply, Amazon, the pet store, or a vet. The powder is cheaper than pre-mixed but sometimes the KMR brand powder causes constipation. If you have a momma, she'll take care of the babies most often. Sometimes she won't produce enough if the litter is very large, she is emaciated (extremely undernourished/thin), or very sick. In this case, you may need to supplement. Weigh the kittens every day with a kitchen scale to make sure they're not losing weight. Feeding momma is going to cost you a lot. She should eat as much as she wants all day and night. I would say 3 cans of wet food a day and unlimited dry food is the minimum. When I say can: not the little Fancy Feast or the huge cans, but the medium ones...think Friskies. If you feed Fancy Feast size cans, do 6 a day. Not joking! Feeding one human baby and I was hungry all the time. Imagine if you had to feed 6 little babies off your own body's nutrients! She will also need access to water all day. Make sure deep bowls are out of tiny kitten reach because of the risk of drowning. At 3 weeks old, you can start offering a shallow dish in their reach.
Weaning: you can start at 5 weeks ideally. Check out this video. Also check here for more.
Here I've gotten ahead of myself...first of all, this is all if you've decided to foster yourself or in the meantime of finding a rescue or shelter. You want to give them the best chance. Know that a shelter may not have the resources. If you're in Berks County, the Humane Society in Reading often doesn't have the resources to do it themselves. However, they have a kit to help you get started! The ARL charges a fee if you're not in a contracted area and they may euthanize if they don't have space or resources. (Any shelter - "no kill" or not. If they don't have the resources to keep them alive, they can't let them slowly starve) Rescues are pretty overwhelmed too but if you know you can't handle this on your own, don't be discouraged from reaching out to multiple. The Humane Society has a list. In addition to their list, two of my favorites in neighboring counties are Stray Cat Blues and Foxy's Cradle for the itty bitties. Even offer to foster yourself and that might help!
Step Four: Bathroom Business
Kittens under 3 weeks and some up to 3.5 weeks need help to potty. If they don't have a mom, you have to learn how to do this and keep them clean or they risk urine scald. When they're 3 weeks to 4 weeks they can go on their own and you offer a shallow litter box. This is why I primarily stick to kittens. They're a lot less needy than puppies! Use non-clumping of some sort until they're older and you're sure they won't eat it. If they go outside the box, use a tissue and clean it up. Put it in the box then clean the spot with an enzyme destroyer like Nature's Miracle. If they keep going in the same spot, put a litter box there. It has never failed me. If you have one who likes to pee on soft things like towels, blankets, and beds, don't keep those within reach. I'm not going into details about stimulation. You can check out the Kitten Lady's website or YouTube channel.
Note: if you need to bathe a kitten, you're going to have to dry them thoroughly. A cold kitten risks death. I use Dawn dish soap, the plain blue only!
Also: deworming is important. I use pyrantel as soon as I get kittens 2 weeks of age and up every 2 weeks until they've had three rounds. Of course, that doesn't cover all parasites so getting a fecal is important. DO NOT give kittens anything at all without consulting a vet please. If you dose them wrong, they die. It is not worth it.
Step Five: Adopting Out
When the kittens are 8 weeks old it is time to find them a home. Please don't give them away for free and ideally get them fixed first so the cycle ends with them. No Nonsense Neutering, ARL, and Humane Society in Reading offer discounted services. Last week from writing, I got a kitten neutered, vaccinated, FIV/FeLV tested, and microchipped for $130 at NNN. There's pop-up clinics where you can get free vaccines and microchips too. Be on the look out for those.
I would strongly suggest getting a vet reference from the potential person and having them confirm with the vet that it is okay to talk to you. Call that reference. Ask them if the person's current pets are up to date on shots and spayed/neutered. It is about a 5 minute conversation that benefits the kitten's entire future.
So that's about all I can think to write at the moment. I could go in depth on each aspect here, but this is the overview.
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