Pet News

Twin County Humane Society

4 days ago

PLEASE DON'T STEAL KITTENS!!!😿

We are getting multiple requests a day to help with "found" kittens. The thing is, they're not lost! Many people find kittens that are being taken care of by mom, even though she might not be present (nursing moms are very busy and aren't always with their kittens - and they might be hiding from you, but they will return frequently to feed and clean them).

Here is some helpful information from our friends at Animal Welfare Association.

So you found a kitten.
Investigate — does the stray kitten have a mother?
Helping orphaned kittens will first require some detective work. One of the biggest mistakes people make when finding stray kittens is taking them away from their mother. Neonatal kittens are still nursing and need to be fed frequently, so they should be kept with their mother, if possible. Mother's milk is the best thing for kittens - removing them to bottle feed them will result in less-vigorous kittens, and they often don't survive.

Here’s how to assess the situation:
Are the kittens sleeping comfortably? The mother is probably coming back.
When you recheck on them, are any of them missing? The mother is moving them.
If they’re often found sleeping, then the mother is caring for them.

To be absolutely sure, sprinkle some flour around where the kittens are located and look for paw prints upon your return. If the mother is in the picture, let them be. In approximately eight weeks, go back and trap the whole family.

Here is some additional information from Alley Cat Allies: www.alleycat.org/community-cat-care/finding-kittens-outdoors/

Thank you for listening to our TED talk and PLEASE, Don't Steal the Kittens (and please SHARE this post)❤ ... See MoreSee Less