Pets

It’s ‘kitten season’ in Sacramento. What you should (and shouldn’t) do if you find strays

By Noor Adatia

It’s “kitten season.” Yes, you read that right.

Warm spring weather brings loads of kittens to Sacramento streets, according to the city.

But it turns out that bringing these outdoor cats to shelters isn’t always in their best interest, said Ryan Hinderman, communications manager for Sacramento’s Front Street Shelter.

The city’s main animal shelter takes in anywhere from 1,000 to 3,500 kittens each year, Hinderman said. And the vast majority of them come in during “kitten season,” which lasts roughly from March to October.

Here’s what you should do if you find a cuddly, stray kitten near your home this summer:

Guidelines for sheltering kittens

Beware of the kitten’s age. It may still be dependent on its mother’s milk and warmth.

If you are considering bringing a kitten you saw on the street into a shelter, the first thing to do is determine its age, Hinderman said.

“Most of the time when we get young kittens, it’s because good Samaritans will find a litter of kittens, they won’t see a mom and think these kittens have been abandoned,” Hinderman said.

Newborns, specifically younger than 5 weeks old, are dependent on their mother’s milk. Kittens that come to the shelter are bottle fed with formula milk at the shelter — but it’s no replacement.

“The formula is really no replacement for mother’s milk, which has antibodies and other really important nutrients that contribute to kitten’s survival,” Hinderman said. “Kittens have a better chance of survival if they have their mom and her milk.”

Young kittens under 3 weeks old are also reliant on their mother’s warmth “to keep them functioning properly.”

How to determine age of a kitten

Kittens less than five weeks old have blue eyes (if open), small or rounded ears, bright pink paws and nose, and no or few teeth, according to PetMD.

“Usually kittens that are 5 weeks old look like a miniature cat, but earlier than that, they look like babies,” Hinderman said.

This tiny 4 oz. kitten named “Miracle” was found in the street and brought to the Sacramento County animal shelter in 2017 where Itsie Bitsie Rescue, Inc picked her up and will bottle feed her until she is old enough to be spayed and then she will go up for adoption.
This tiny 4 oz. kitten named “Miracle” was found in the street and brought to the Sacramento County animal shelter in 2017 where Itsie Bitsie Rescue, Inc picked her up and will bottle feed her until she is old enough to be spayed and then she will go up for adoption. Lezlie Sterling Sacramento Bee

Another way to identify the age of a kitten is by assessing how much they move around. Kittens less than 5 weeks old tend to stay in one place and are unable to run or climb.

When they hit 5 weeks, they start to become “more confident in their movements” and move around much more, meaning they may be more vulnerable.

“That’s another reason why this age is a better age to bring them into a shelter is because that’s when they can start getting into trouble,” Hinderman said.

Kittens between 5 and 8 weeks of age are considered the “sweet spot” for shelters to intervene and put them up for adoption. More than 8 weeks old, some kittens may be too feral, especially if they have never interacted with people before.

At 5 weeks of age, kittens can also start to eat solid food and be socialized. Before bringing them in, Hinderman said it is also important for people to call their local shelter to make sure it has room for the baby felines.

Exception to the rule

The exception to the 5-week-old guideline is if the kittens appear ill or injured. It is possible these kittens may have been abandoned by their mother or were attacked by another animal.

“If there is a kitten that is sick or injured, that is always going to be a cat that we will take in,” Hinderman said.

However, kittens that appear plump, clean and fairly quiet most likely have a mom. Even if their mom isn’t with them, they may be waiting several hours for her to return with food.

“If they’re really skinny or if they’re dirty or if they’re crying like they are in distress, there is a good chance maybe something happened to their mom and you should contact the shelter to see what to do next,” Hinderman said.

If you are unsure about their mother’s presence, the shelter recommends sprinkling a bag of flour around the kittens and looking for mom’s pawprints after four hours or so. If no prints are spotted, it is okay to contact a shelter.

What to do if they are near you

If you find kittens under 5 weeks old in your yard, it is recommended to leave them alone and not intervene unless necessary, Hinderman said. Most kittens will likely not cause damage.

“The exception to that is if you have dogs that might harm the kittens, then definitely contact the shelter,” Hinderman said.

The shelter’s specialized kitten volunteer team is sometimes sent out during these situations to assess if the kittens and their mom need to be brought to a shelter or not.

Due to the general kitten overpopulation in Sacramento, not all kittens need to be brought into a shelter, Hinderman said. The city’s warm climate makes it a “good place for cat reproduction.”

“It’s really important to assess each litter as an individual litter and make sure we’re doing what’s in the best interest of those cats and all the other cats who need the shelter’s help,” Hinderman said.

If you see a mother cat, the shelter advises taking her to a feral cat spay or neuter clinic so she does not give birth to another litter.

In the case of stray adult cats, they may have gone missing from their owner, especially if they look healthy. Consider putting up signs or look for missing cat updates online. Otherwise, contact a local shelter.

Local shelters

Here is a list of services and shelters in the Sacramento area that you can contact for stray cats:

This story was originally published June 2, 2022 at 5:00 AM.

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