What to Do If You Find a Stray Kitten: First Steps to Keep It Safe

By Tailwisp Editorial TeamUpdated October 20, 20264 min read

Finding a kitten in a yard, a parking lot or under a porch can tug at your heart. The best thing to do depends on the kitten's age, condition and whether its mother is nearby. Acting thoughtfully gives the kitten the best chance.

Step 1: Assess the situation

Is the kitten in immediate danger, such as in traffic, extreme weather or with predators? If so, move it. If not, observe.

• Is the kitten clean, plump and quiet? It may be well cared for by a mother who has stepped away.
• Is it crying, dirty, cold or thin? It may be abandoned.
• Are there other kittens? Mothers often move litters, one at a time.

Mother cats leave their kittens to hunt, sometimes for hours. Stay away from the nest, and watch from a distance for several hours, without disturbing, to see whether the mother returns. If the mother does not return, or the kitten is in distress, step in. Do not wait if it is cold, injured or very weak.

Step 2: Safely pick up the kitten

Wear gloves if possible, and be gentle. Use a box with a soft towel. Kittens can scratch and bite when scared. Wash your hands afterward.

Step 3: Warm the kitten

A cold kitten cannot digest food and may die. Warm it first.

• Wrap it in a soft towel.
• Use a heating pad on low, a warm (not hot) water bottle or a sock filled with warm rice, wrapped in cloth, in a box. Make sure the kitten can move away from the heat.
• Warm gradually, over an hour or so.

Do not feed a cold kitten.

Step 4: Estimate age

Age decides care. See how to tell a kitten's age.

• Under four weeks: eyes closed or just open, ears folded or small, needs bottle feeding and help with toileting.
• Four to eight weeks: walking and playing, starting to eat solid food. See how to wean kittens.
• Over eight weeks: eating solid food, ready for vaccines.

Step 5: Feed correctly

• Use kitten milk replacer, available at pet stores and many vets. Never feed cow's milk, which can cause diarrhea. See can cats drink milk.
• Bottle feed very young kittens, held on their stomach, not on their back. See how to bottle feed a kitten.
• Older kittens can eat canned kitten food. See kitten feeding schedule.
• Stimulate toileting in kittens under four weeks, by gently rubbing the genital area with a warm, damp cloth after feeding, since they cannot go on their own.

Step 6: Check for fleas and signs of illness

Fleas are common and can cause anemia in small kittens. Ask a vet for safe treatments for young kittens. See fleas on cats. Look for sneezing, eye discharge, diarrhea or lethargy. See kitten sneezing and eye discharge.

Step 7: See a vet

Book a visit as soon as possible. The vet will check health, weight and age, test for parasites and advise on feeding and vaccines. See kitten first vet visit. Use the US vet directory to find a clinic. Ask about FeLV and FIV testing. See FeLV and FIV in cats.

Step 8: Keep it separate and safe

• Isolate the kitten from your pets until it is checked. See how to introduce a new cat to your cat.
• Set up a small, warm room with a litter box, food and water. See kitten supplies checklist.
• Kitten-proof the space. See kitten-proofing your home.
• Wash hands, and keep bedding clean, since stray kittens can carry parasites and ringworm. See ringworm in cats.

Step 9: Decide what next

You can keep the kitten, foster it or find a rescue. Local shelters and rescues may help with supplies and vet care. Check for a microchip, and, if the kitten is old enough, look for owners. See cat microchipping and identification and adopting a cat from a shelter. Plan to spay or neuter. See when to spay or neuter a kitten.

Community cats

Some outdoor kittens belong to feral or community cat colonies. Trap-neuter-return programs help control populations, and very young kittens can often be socialized. See how to socialize a kitten.

When to hurry

Call a vet at once if the kitten is cold, limp, bleeding, injured or struggling to breathe. See the emergency warning signs guide.