What to do about a stray or feral mother and her litter?

by Leena
(Houston)

A cat and her newborn kittens are currently residing by the side of the house for a couple of days now. I am not sure what I should do at this point.


I feel quite overwhelmed by their sudden appearance, but I want to help them out. Can anyone give me advice on what to do with a stray cat and her litter?

-Should I attempt to trap the cat and her kittens and bring them to a vet firstly?

-Should I find a shelter for them, or release them after finding a way to neuter them?

Thank you to anyone who can help me out! I sincerely apologize for sounding ignorant to this type of situation. Thank you again.

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starstarstarstarstar 		Contact a rescuer, shelter, etc.
by: Jim W.

Thank you for being such a good person and trying to help the kitties!

If the mother cat is a stray, then she should be adoptable. If she's a feral, then she could be released after spaying.

A vet or perhaps a rescuer should evaluate the mother cat to see if she's adoptable. The kittens should be adoptable.

If you want to take this on yourself, you can ask one of your local shelters if they can lend you a trap. You can trap them and take them to a vet (trapping cats can be challenging).

If you feel more comfortable getting hands on help, then you'll want to reach out to local rescue groups or shelters, pet sitters, pet store employees, etc., and see if they can help you find someone who does does this kind of thing in your area.

You can also contact Alley Cat Allies and see if they have someone in the area affiliated with them in the area to help.

If the mother cat is feral, then perhaps a rescuer can do trap-neuter-return and find the kittens homes.

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