DUMPED OR STRAY KITTENS
Dumped kittens are kittens found anywhere outside the home. They are often motherless, sick and strays. During their rescue these kittens need a lot of extra care concerning food, education and socialisation. They have to be vaccinated, and treated for worms and fleas. Most kittens are found in spring: this is the time when many unwanted and feral kittens are born.

Unfortunately many people still don't see the need for timely spaying and neutering their cats, which is why this kitten baby boom keeps repeating itself every year.
 

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What to do when you find kittens without mother.

Please act immediately and contact the local Animal Protection Service 
or (no-kill !!) shelter in the following unsafe situations:

  • If the kittens are in the burning sun
  • If the kittens are meowing continuously
  • If the kittens are in the rain
  • It the kittens feel cold to the touch, but are still alive
  • If the kittens are dehydrated. Pull up the skin: if the skin doesn't jump back but stays up the kitten is dehydrated.
  • If the kittens look neglected.
  • If the kittens are in an unsafe place, like in a garbage dumpster


If you find kittens under better conditions, but seemingly without a mother, please don't act immediately. 

If you find kittens in a safe place without a mother, f.e. in a toolshed or under some bushes, please watch the place closely for several hours. The mother may be out hunting for food. You can put some sand around the kittens nesting place to check for footprints. If there still is a mother, she won't be gone for long. If she does stay away too long, please contact your Animal Protection Service.
 

Quarius, 250 grams, found along the highway

Quarius now healthy in his new home
(photo Henk Basten)
(photo Marijke Hardeveld)

In case you have to take the kittens home with you because you can't get help from the Animal Protection Service, you will find more information about their care on this page: Bottle-feeding. 
Young strays of 5 - 12 weeks old can survive if the necessary care is provided. Without this care they will certainly die. Often kittens found this young are not socialized, and very shy. If given the extra attention they need, they can still become a well-socialized pet.

It is best not to separate the kittens before the age of 9 weeks. Here in the Netherlands it's legally prohibited to separate them before 7 weeks of age, whether they still have a mother or not. If there ís a mother, please let them stay with her until they're 12 weeks old, unless mother has a negative influence on the kittens (f.e. if she's too shy).
 

in the shelter
 
© M.A. de Boer 2003-2004. All rights reserved. 
Nothing may be copied in any form without permission of the author who can be contacted via the email-link above.