How to Feed and Support a Stray Kitten

What To Do

1. Check your surroundings
   Do you see the mom nearby?
   * If so, let mom nurse her kittens without bothering them. You can help by providing a warm, dry shelter and adult cat food for mom.
   * If not, wait a few hours to see if mom returns. If she doesn’t return, the kittens will need to be cared for.
2. Assess the kittens and determine their approximate age.
   Are they under two months of age?
   * They are less than two months of age if they weigh less than two pounds and move in an uncoordinated fashion.
3. Determine temperament.
   Are they friendly?
   * If they are friendly, without mom and appear to be over two months old, these kittens can be fostered or adopted. In the meantime, they should be fed a kitten food and assessed by a veterinarian.
   * If they are not friendly, without mom and appear to be over two months old, these kittens are not socialized and will need experienced fosters. Please contact your local shelter or rescue.
   * If they are friendly, without mom and appear to be under two months old, these will need a higher level of care.

Helpful Tips for Feeding & Caring For Young Kittens

1. What you’ll need to feed them:
   * Syringe, bottle, nipples, a milk replacer made specifically for kittens (do not substitute with cow, soy or any other types of milk) and an infant or gram scale for weighing them.
2. How to feed them:
   * Feed them with their belly down – never feed kittens on their back!
   * One week old kittens need to be fed every two hours. As they grow each week, add one hour between feedings. (i.e. Week 1 – every two hours, Week 2 – every three hours, etc.)
   * Reference the kitten formula instructions for information on amount needed to be fed.
3. More helpful tips:
   * Kittens cannot urinate or defecate on their own until they are four weeks old. Induce them after feeding by rubbing a warm, moist cloth over their anal region.
   * Weigh kittens daily to monitor their growth.
   * Kitten milk formula should be heated in a warm water bath until it reaches 95-100 degrees.

Additional Resources

For advice and resources on raising kittens or puppies contact your local animal shelter or veterinarian. Please visit the following website for more information: aspca.org