How to Rescue a Kaboodle of Kittens
- arivena3
- Jun 11
- 4 min read
By Tyler Jackson, CAMP Beat Reporter, 17 years old:
Rescuing neonatal kittens can be an exciting adventure - plus a lifesaving mission! But if you’ve never done it before, you might not know where to start, how to care for them, or how to help them find forever homes. That’s what happened when my sisters and I rescued a stray mother cat (later named Tilly) and her four newborns tucked away in a garage where she had taken shelter. Thanks to our work fostering this little family - and a wonderful collaboration with Kitty Bungalow - everyone is now happy and healthy, awaiting adoption! With this extremely successful rescue in mind, here is a guide on how to rescue lost kittens – starring Tilly and her babies!
This momma and kittens were found in a garage, where momma had made a home inside an empty cardboard box. The homeowner reached out to us for help and we arrived on site with supplies, including a carrier, food and blankets. Tilly was initially extremely hesitant to take the food we offered and to leave her kittens. The worried momma was also growling to protect her babies. So, we decided to abandon the carrier we brought and instead we covered their box with a fresh blanket. This ensured the least amount of disruption and fear for the family before they were ready for human contact. We used their own box where they had already made a home to transport them. Keeping your new furry friends as comfortable and happy as possible is key to the most stress-free experience, so don’t be afraid to make use of your surroundings!
From the minute we brought her into our home, Tilly was an instant lovebug, even rolling over to receive belly rubs. As long as she knew her little ones were safe and cared for, she would spend all the time in the world cuddling up to us; although she was never too far away from her nest. Her constant mother-henning occasionally caused some commotion, like when we entered the room to find the nest empty! As it turns out, Tilly, despite being upgraded from cardboard boxes to blankets and baby gates, had deemed her nest unfit for her growing babies, and moved them all into the closet instead. Cats often want dark, secure spaces for themselves and especially for their wee ones, so if you ever find yourself creating a space for them, try places like a closet, bathtub, or even a cardboard box filled with blankets. If you have a spare carrier lying around, that can also be a great temporary haven for lost kittens.
Eventually, Tilly loosened the reins enough to let us handle her babies without too much fuss, although she definitely kept a close eye on us. We always respected her need for space and privacy. In the early stages of their youth, it is important for kittens to connect with their mother, getting the nutrients they need from her milk, so separating them is not recommended – or easy. If you need to transport a mother cat and her kittens, try your best to keep them together. If you stumble upon lost kittens by themselves, do your best to keep them together, as they will naturally seek warmth and comfort from their siblings.
As the kittens grew, they began investigating Tilly’s wet food. Kittens will usually wean off of their mom if you provide them with wet food to sniff and grow curious about. We began leaving extra wet food for Tilly’s kittens at around 3 weeks old, mixing it with some water to create a gruel (as a more liquid consistency is easier on baby teeth), and the kittens naturally began eating it. If the kittens still have no interest in wet food at around 4-5 weeks, you can create a milk slurry with kitten food and gently swipe along their gums to spark some interest.
Tilly’s babies were sparkling clean due to their mama’s grooming, but if you happen to find a kitten without a mother the responsibility of bath time falls onto you. Bathing is easiest to do with a warm, damp cloth. You can gently wipe around the kittens’ mouth and paws, or anywhere they might be unclean. Bath time duty also comes with all bathroom duty, so you also should induce potty time with a wet soft towel. You can read more about the necessary actions to raise kittens here, a great resource which has all the information you’ll need.
If you successfully transport lost kittens to their temporary foster home and care for them until they are stable and safe, there is one more step to completing a kitten rescue: finding them a forever home! Below are a variety of resources to contact if you step up to help rescue lost kittens in need of some help. It’s an exciting and rewarding process - and you’ll truly be saving lives.
Useful Resources:
