09/24/2026
❕”I found newborn kittens and no mom is around. What do I do? What if the mother cat abandons her kittens? Should I take kittens away from a feral mother? “
💚Don’t assume they’ve been abandoned!
Kittens are often left alone for hours while mom hunts or rests nearby. She won’t come back if she sees you close by.
🐾What to do:
-Step back and observe from a distance for several hours.
-Watch for mom’s return. If kittens are warm, clean, and quiet, she’s likely still caring for them.
-Only intervene if kittens are cold, crying nonstop, covered in flies or ants, or mom hasn’t returned after 8-10 hours.
Do not take kittens away from mom! Mom is the best possible caregiver, better than any bottle-feeding human. Removing healthy kittens from a capable feral mother does more harm than good.
Not sure what stage you’re at? Check out our kitten flow chart above or call our helpline. 🐱
We’ll walk you through it!
