Leave it where it is and watch from a distance for several hours, because the mother is usually nearby. Step in right away only if it is sick, hurt or in danger.
Do not pick it up yet
A kitten alone is usually not an orphan. Step back, leave it where it is, and watch from far enough away that a mother cat would feel safe coming back. Alley Cat Allies says a kitten found alone is more than likely near its mother, and Best Friends Animal Society says she will usually return soon. Humane World for Animals, formerly the Humane Society of the United States, says mother cats may leave their kittens for several hours at a time. She may be hunting, or she may be waiting for you to leave. If you stand beside the nest, you can cause the very thing you are worried about. The exceptions are a kitten that looks sick, cold or hurt, and a kitten in immediate danger. Those are covered below.
How long to watch
Groups give slightly different answers, so use the range. The Animal Foundation in Las Vegas says to observe at intervals from a distance for 6 to 8 hours. Alley Cat Allies says to wait several hours, or up to a full day, watching from a hidden spot or from indoors. San Antonio Animal Care Services says it will wait 18 hours after you return kittens to their nest before you bring them in. Check in from a distance, and set an alarm on your phone instead of hovering. Bad weather or nonstop crying are good reasons to shorten the wait.
Signs the mother is coming back
You may never see her, because she may only come when nobody is around. Clean coats and chunky bodies suggest she is close, according to The Animal Foundation. Alley Cat Allies says kittens cuddled together, sleeping quietly and looking pink, warm and clean with full bellies are good signs. To test it, sprinkle a light ring of flour around the nest and look for paw prints later. Humane World suggests flour or twigs placed on the nest, and says that if they are disturbed, or the kittens have full, rounded bellies, she is nursing them. Keep your own pets indoors while you do this, and do not let dogs or other cats near the nest.
When to act now
Some kittens cannot wait. Alley Cat Allies says to contact a vet right away for thin stomachs, visible ribs and spine, cold ears, belly or paws, pale gums, lethargy, crusted eyes or nose, diarrhea, vomiting or labored breathing. Limping, wounds and crying out in pain also count. Humane World says younger kittens need faster help. Put a cold or weak kitten somewhere warm and safe, with a gentle heat source it can move away from. Do not feed a kitten that is cold or overheated, and never give cow’s milk. If the nest is in real danger, such as a flood, a fire or a road, move the kittens to the nearest safe spot, as close to the nest as you can, so she can still find them.
Work out the age
Age decides what happens next. Humane World gives these markers: at birth the eyes are closed and the ears are folded, by 2 weeks the eyes are open and the ears are starting to unfold, and by 8 weeks most kittens are eating on their own and exploring. The Animal Foundation says kittens under 6 weeks are not able to care for themselves, and that newborns need bottle feeding and help going to the bathroom every 2 to 4 hours, plus constant warmth. Alley Cat Allies says kittens 4 weeks and younger need round-the-clock care to survive. If you are not sure, send a photo to a vet or rescue.
If she is caring for them
Leave the family outdoors and help from a distance. Alley Cat Allies says not to remove kittens younger than about 8 weeks from their mother unless they are in immediate danger, and not to bring a healthy mother and litter indoors, because confinement can stress her. Fort Worth Animal Care and Control also says it is best to let her care for them until they are at least 8 weeks old. Put high-calorie food and fresh water near the nest, not right next to it. Ask neighbors who has been feeding her, because she could be a pet. Plan for around 8 weeks and 2 pounds, when several of these groups say spay or neuter can happen. Ask about the mother too.
If she never comes back
Before you call a shelter, know that advice differs here. Alley Cat Allies says not to take kittens to a shelter, because most lack unweaned-kitten care and kittens may be killed there. Best Friends says shelters often lack the resources for intensive care of young kittens. Humane World says to contact a shelter or rescue group anyway, since most cannot give round-the-clock newborn care but may have a foster volunteer or help with supplies. So call and ask this: I have found unweaned kittens and the mother has not returned. Do you have a foster program or a rescue you work with? San Antonio says it will not take nursing mothers with kittens under 2 pounds, and rules differ elsewhere. If you can do the feeding, The Animal Foundation says it can provide knowledge and most supplies, and Fort Worth runs a foster program. Ask your own shelter what it offers.
Handling and hygiene
Humane World advises bite-resistant gloves when handling an unfamiliar cat or kitten. The CDC says rabies spreads mainly through bites or scratches from an infected animal, and that you should wash a bite or scratch right away with soap and water and get medical care urgently if you may have been exposed. Keep found kittens away from your own cats until a vet has seen them. If the kitten is friendly and alone, and looks like a pet, ask a vet to scan it for a microchip, since a young cat can be lost as well as born outside. Our post Found a cat: is it a stray or someone’s lost pet? covers that check.
Sources
Alley Cat Allies: alleycat.org/community-cat-care/finding-kittens-outdoors. Best Friends Animal Society: bestfriends.org/node/572187. Humane World for Animals, finding kittens: humaneworld.org/resources/what-do-if-you-find-kittens. Humane World for Animals, stray or found cat: humaneworld.org/resources/how-help-stray-or-found-cat. The Animal Foundation: animalfoundation.com/what-we-do/lost-found/found-pets. San Antonio Animal Care Services: sa.gov/Directory/Departments/ACS/Lost-Found/Found. Fort Worth Animal Care and Control: fortworthtexas.gov/departments/code-compliance/animals/pet-resources/found-kittens. CDC, rabies: cdc.gov/rabies/about/index.html.