Same Team with Sterling Davis, Atlanta’s “Trap King”
July 26, 2022
A Drop Trap Master Class with Bryan Kortis, National Programs Director at Neighborhood Cats
August 2, 2022
Contributed by Cristin Bates
Have you ever come across stray kittens outside and wondered what you should do? You might be surprised to learn that leaving them where they are is oftentimes the most helpful thing you can do.
From birth to eight weeks, mother cats provide their kittens with the best care. Kittens at that age depend on their mother’s milk. (Refer to this helpful guide to determine kittens’ age.) It’s recommended that you don’t move kittens younger than eight weeks from where you find them unless they seem sick, injured, or unsafe. In those instances, move them out of immediate danger and contact a local rescue organization or veterinarian for guidance and assistance.
If the kittens are safe and look healthy, but you don’t see their mother, that doesn’t necessarily mean that she has abandoned them. Try leaving the area for about four to six hours.
When you return, if you see the mom, then you can check on the kittens regularly going forward to ensure that they continue to do well. You can also help the mother by providing her with food and water.
What if you’ve left the kittens for several hours, and when you return, you still don’t see the mom? If the kittens look healthy, then you can try leaving and returning the next day. Before heading out, sprinkle flour on the ground near the kittens–their mom will leave paw prints in the flour if she visits them while you’re away.
When you return the next day, if you don’t see any sign of the mother, you may choose to continue monitoring them for a bit longer or remove them if you don’t think that their mom is around anymore. Neonatal kittens (birth to four weeks old) require intensive care, and you might need to seek guidance and help from a local rescue organization.
What if you spot kittens that are older than eight weeks? Or what if you’ve been monitoring kittens whose mom is caring for them, and now they’ve reached eight weeks old? That means it’s time to spay and neuter them and their mom to prevent them from producing more litters in the future. This guide walks you through how to trap the kittens and mom. After their spay/neuter, the kittens can be fostered and adopted out as well as the mom, if she’s comfortable around people. If she is not, then it’s recommended that you return her to the area where you trapped her.
While it can be hard to know the right thing to do when you come across stray kittens, by estimating the kittens’ age, checking if they’re safe and healthy, and determining if their mom is caring for them, you can decide on the best way to help them.
About Devon Smith
Cristin Bates works in higher education fundraising and believes deeply in the transformative power of education. Outside of work, she is passionate about animal welfare and has volunteered with organizations on Trap-Neuter-Return efforts to improve cats’ lives.
