What should I do if my cat has given birth outside?

If you cannot trap her, or if she seems about to give birth outside, provide a warm, outdoor cat shelter so she can choose to have her kittens in it. It is best to leave her alone and not bother her while she has her kittens. Any additional stress may cause harm during the pregnancy.

Should I bring newborn kittens inside?

As long as the kittens are nursing frequently and appear to be thriving, they will be OK. Keep the mother cat and her babies in a quiet part of the house; a separate room is ideal. Make sure the room is warm enough as kittens are unable to regulate their body temperature when they are only a few days old.

What happens if my cat has her kittens outside?

If you find the kittens outside and bring them in, put them in the prepared cardboard box. The cat mother will probably check that her kittens are safe, and then she’ll get into the box herself to feed them. Once the cold months are over, and the kittens are bigger, you can let them out again.

How long after a cat gives birth can you touch the kittens?

Take it slowly, and make sure she is okay with it before you touch them. Either way, they really should not be handled that much at all until they are about 2 weeks old. If you do handle them, be sure to either wear gloves or wash your hands thoroughly before and after.

How do you take care of a stray cat with kittens?

Provide the mother cat and kittens with a carrier as a hiding place, food and water, and a litter box placed as far away from the sleeping and eating area as possible. You can decide to foster the kittens for adoption or return them to their original outdoor home as soon as it is safe, or the family is healthy again.

Can I put newborn kittens outside?

The kittens should be fixed and adopted out around 8-10 weeks of age. If you cannot foster and socialize the kittens, leave the kittens outside! Don’t socialize a kitten that you cannot place; they will learn survival skills from their mother that will give them their best chance at outdoor survival as a feral cat.

Why does my cat want to take her kittens outside?

Cats will instinctively want to keep their kittens somewhere clean. That’s because strong scents can attract predators in the wild, and that will put the lives of her kittens in danger. If the nest is becoming dirty, then she might start trying to move her kittens to a cleaner spot.

Where do cats give birth outside?

Examples of locations where mother cats hide their kittens are: Under porches. Under homes if the cat has access to the crawl space. In barns, usually the loft or a difficult to reach cubby area.

Can a mother cat move her kittens after giving birth?

Birthing Location’s Conditions. As mentioned above, the place where the mother cat gives birth to her kittens should be safe, quiet, clean, and accessible. The only reasons for which you can move the kittens is if they (mom included) are not safe, in a quiet or clean location, or not easily accessible.

What should I do if I see a mother cat with kittens?

Keep the mother cat and her babies in a quiet part of the house; a separate room is ideal, and make sure the room is warm enough. Chilling is one of the most critical dangers to newborn kittens. Let the mother cat set the pace for your attention. If she is a longtime companion and resident, she may welcome your visits.

Can a cat have kittens outside without being inside?

Often times, a cat will have kittens outside, even if the cat spends a lot of time in the home. Inside/outside cats still sometimes have their kittens outside. If your cat had kittens outside, this post can help you understand why it happened and how to help her.

Do mother cats clean their kittens after giving birth?

However, Vet Info says it is generally best to let the mother cat do this herself on her own time. In the Oconee Humane Society’s Kitten Foster Manual, it says that if you see a mother cat not cleaning her kittens after birth, it could be because of stress.