I've found a mother and her kittens on my property. What to do?

The shelter is not the right place for healthy kittens that are too young for adoption. Shelters like ours can’t function effectively, humanely, and within our capacity for care when taking on the job of raising found kittens for an extended period of time before coming of age. With less homes looking to adopt, it is important to help when needed, and leave kittens that are thriving alone.

• The right place for kittens:
  • Kittens and mothers are better together until weaning.
  • Social cats are better off raising kittens in homes rather than in cages.
  • Unsocial (feral) cats are often better being supported near where they already are until they move on.
  • The shelter should be saved for medical emergencies, foster, spay/neuter, adoption education and support services.

To determine the best pathway for kittens note kitten condition, health and location; whether the kittens are weaned or un-weaned; whether they are safe where they are; and whether the kittens are social or unsocial.  We offer a variety of kitten care training links and other helpful resources down below. Bend the curve by investing in cat sterilization when possible through our TNVR Program (must be 6 months of age) if you don't mind keeping the mother around but would like to avoid future litters.

• Kitten Care
• Community Cat Care 
• Feral Cat Difference 
• The Truth About Spay and Neuter 

In some cases, the mother can be sterilized prior to weaning! A cat who is spayed while she is nursing will continue to produce adequate milk for her kittens. This is best when the kittens are 5-6 weeks old. Some veterinarians prefer to wait until a cat has weaned her kittens before doing the surgery because the mammary gland (breast) development present during nursing can make the surgery slightly more difficult and to avoid infections.

Healthy Free-Roaming Cats