When Do Stray Kittens Leave Their Mother

Outdoor or stray moms sometimes scatter their kittens to avoid predation.

When do stray kittens leave their mother. One goes to seek food and never returns. At 8 weeks old the kitten is ready to be spayed or neutered and placed into a loving home. If the mother returns to her healthy and safe kittens they should stay where they are. Once the kittens are fully weaned around 10 to 12 weeks old they are old enough to move away from their mama.

Please read my pages on cat colonies and feral cats for some more information. Learn more about lifeline s tnr program. When the kittens are about eight weeks old the entire family can begin the trap neuter return tnr process. Most cats are naturally good mothers.

Plus the female kitten can be impregnated as young as 4 months old and have several litters a year. It s best to monitor a nest for a couple of hours to see if she comes back. Unless you absolutely must you should leave the kittens outdoors if you suspect they still have a mother. It is easy to wean them now and they are just the right age for handling and intensive bonding with humans.

If we do not find the kittens until they are at least 4 5 weeks old or older we raise them without their mother. However a kitten is typically ready to leave his mother at about 8 to 12 weeks of age. If you re going to keep them decide early or place them in a shelter for further care. Provide food water and shelter for the family.

You want the mother to find them when she returns. If your cat has left her kittens it could be because she s looking for a place to move them to or simply taking a break. If the kittens seem well fed are in a safe place and fall asleep after crying for a short while mom is probably around. Don t waste too much time before making the next move for the kittens safety.

If you have discovered feral kittens there are alternatives to leaving them in the wild.