Orphan Kitten Rescue
Kitten season is in full swing, and it’s important to be prepared to help when you come upon concerning situations. JCN was contacted by a couple this past week, who came face to face with such a case. They saw a young kitten digging through trash for food, by the side of a big road. The kitten was alone. When offered food the kitten ate hungrily, clearly starving. What to do? They live in a no pets apartment. They are not here in Japan, for much longer. They have busy work schedules. There were a number of reasons that they could have come up with to do nothing, but instead, they took the kitten in. That kitten had likely one chance and that chance was this kind couple, who are now working to get it to a good future. When you find a young kitten (or kittens) outside, seemingly separated from mom, there are a number of things you can do to help. For this #WiseWednesday, we want to think about how to help kittens found outside, in dangerous situations.
Step 1: Evaluate the situation
Look around to see if there are other kittens, or a mother cat. Take pictures, as that will help those with more experience to evaluate. Documenting the initial situation will also really help in finding an invested new caretaker. If kittens are newborns, their best chance of survival is with mom, so try to determine if the situation involves abandonment by a human, or if the mother cat might just be out looking for food. Mother cats do not usually leave very young kittens out in the open, as this is quite dangerous. Abandonment in cardboard boxes by humans is common, so if you hear cries or noises coming from a box on a sidewalk, roadside, or parking lot, investigate.
Step 2: Be prepared to take kittens in immediately
We often hear from people who are unsure of what to do at the time, so leave the kittens, and return later to find that a tragedy has happened. Kittens do not last long outside on their own, so you may have only one chance to help. Other than non-mobile newborn kittens it’s important to transport securely using a quickly made emergency carrier or a laundry net and a bag. Do not carry moving kittens in a cardboard box, as they can jump out and be injured or run away during transport. Even if instructed by authorities to do so, do not surrender kittens to animal control or at a police station. Animal control is not a shelter, in the true sense of the word, and most centers do not have the capability to care for kittens. 66% of animals destroyed at animal control centers are newborn kittens.
Step 3: Immediately start reaching out and keep reaching out
Nobody should have to do everything on their own, and help is almost always to be found. However, you will likely need to keep reaching out. Groups are all overwhelmed during kitten season, so you might need to reach out repeatedly, in different ways, and to different groups, in order to get answers. Add pictures when you reach out, to help clarify the situation. In the meantime, do research about care needs on the internet yourself, and bring the kitten(s) directly to a vet if there are immediate health concerns. Newborn kittens need specialized care that not all vets are experienced in providing, so be sure to look for the right vet. The term “Milk Volunteer” is used to describe bottle feeding.
Step 4: Don’t treat the kitten(s) like a hot potato
While you may not be able to hold onto the kitten(s) long, don’t hand off so quickly that you fail to determine the safety of the next situation. Some amount of patience is needed to be sure that either the organization or next caretaker has the ability to provide responsible care. Always check the living situation on site (not just photos), and talk with future caregivers thoroughly to ensure responsibility. You’ve done a great thing in helping to get a kitten out of a bad situation, so see it through, and don’t later regret acting in haste or panic. Any group or individual who claims privacy concerns regarding allowing transparency for living conditions is not a safe option.
Step 5: Be willing to pitch in
Be willing to do something financially yourself, even if it’s not a lot. Can you afford a coffee and lunch out? You can afford to help get the kitten a basic vet evaluation or donate to the group who will organize help for the kitten. Even if financially limited, you are likely in a better situation to help in a small way than those who are already helping many other kittens. If able to do so, become a monthly donor and help to make it possible for an organization to be there to help again in future. Supporting on social media costs nothing, but can create more engagement and lead to others supporting. Like, comment on, and share posts on social media, as well as asking friends/family to help out in special cases.
We know that it can be stressful when confronted with a situation like this. However, there are ways to help an animal in desperate need, and doing something good comes with its own rewards. Saving a life can change yours!
Find more ways to help orphaned kittens by checking out these articles and resources: