Pregnant Strays & Young Kittens

We can’t provide all of the information you need to deal with a pregnant/nursing stray and young kittens, but here are some very basic guidelines. Please note that the information on this page is not intended as a substitute for veterinary care. City Kitties volunteers cannot provide medical advice. If you believe a cat or kitten is sick, take it to the vet office immediately for an exam and treatment.

Pregnant Strays
If you believe your stray is pregnant, take her to the vet for an exam to be sure. You may have the option of ending the pregnancy (a spay/abort procedure) depending on how far into the pregnancy she is. If this is not an option, you will need to provide a safe, warm place for her to have her kittens. A laundry basket or box lined with towels will work. We won’t cover the gestation period or birthing process here, but there are many online sources of information. Feed the mother high-quality kitten food during her pregnancy and for as long as she is nursing. The kittens should not be separated from the mother until they are fully weaned-8 weeks with mom and brothers/sisters provides both necessary nutrition and social skills for the kittens.

Nursing Strays
NEVER bring a female cat inside or otherwise relocate her if she has been recently nursing. This could result in the death of her entire litter. If the cat appears to be nursing (less hair around nipples, swollen mammary area) don’t take any chances. Try to locate the kittens and bring the whole family inside, but do not separate them.

Unsocialized (feral) Mother with Kittens
If you have found a feral cat with kittens, assess the situation carefully. The kittens have the best chance of survival if they remain with their mother during the first four weeks of life. During this time they receive care not easily provided by humans, and milk with antibodies and nutrients that kitten formula cannot replace. However, kittens taken from the mother later in life (8-12 weeks) may be much more difficult to socialize. If possible, wait until the kittens are 4-6 weeks old to remove them from the mother. And remember to trap and spay the mother once her mammary swelling has gone down! For more information on feral cats, visit our Feral Cat page.

Abandoned Kittens
If you believe you have found an abandoned litter of kittens, you don’t have any time to lose. The younger they are and the longer they have been without a mother, the closer they are to perishing without your help. If the mother still around, keep the family together if at all possible to increase the kittens’ chance of survival. If the kittens look relatively well-fed, healthy, warm, and are not screaming for food, mom may not be far away. Young kittens need different care depending on their age. If they are so tiny that they need to be bottlefed, please read Kitten Rescue’s online resource, Raising Orphaned Kittens.

Next: Veterinary Care for Stray Cats