06/17/2026
If you have found and rescued kittens, you may be wondering how to catch the mom cat. 🤔 It is so important to make that effort!
Please don't just scoop up the kittens and move on. 🚫 Leaving the mother cat behind often means she will face the exact same situation again in just a few short months, producing another litter and continuing the cycle.
If kittens are around, there's a very good chance mom is nearby, even if you haven't seen her. It is actually uncommon for an entire litter of kittens to be abandoned.
So how do you find her❓
Place the kittens in a carrier or trap at the location where they were found. Then set a baited trap in front of the carrier and cover both with a sheet or blanket to create a little "tunnel" leading straight to her babies.
And here's the important part—go away. 😂
Mama cat is much less likely to return if a scary human is standing nearby watching. Let the kittens and the trap do the work for you. If possible, go inside and monitor from a window. If you're in a public location, park nearby where you can still keep an eye on the trap from your vehicle.
Good luck and happy trapping! 🐾
Edit for clarification: Going away does not mean leaving the trap unattended. Never leave a trap unattended. It simply means not standing right next to it expecting mom to walk in while you're watching. Monitor from a window, your vehicle, or another location where you can observe the trap without being seen.
