Find Homes & Shelters For Kittens

Sometimes you need to find a home for that stray cat or kitten you just found. Read below and learn how to properly place a kitten

Dear Simba
We have been adopted by a stray female who is pregnant. Having a weak spot for animals, I began feeding and spending time with her outside. I think she is due in 1 to 2 weeks.

I would like to bring her inside to have a comfortable place in which to birth and nurse, but I am not to crazy about having a litter of kittens. At the same time, I cannot bring myself to drop a litter of kittens off at a shelter. I thought about building a house for her outside to keep a bed and food available, although I have a reoccurring scenario of a pack of cats living outside, breeding, multiplying, howling and eating 20 pounds of food a week. Any advice? Mr. Softy

Dear Mr. Softy,
We have all been there. I agree with you about having a large cat colony outside your home…not a good thing. It might be worthwhile to find a no-kill shelter in your area while you wait for the mom to give birth. The folks there may have a facility in which to care for the mother while she delivers and can ensure that the kittens are placed in homes. If you are unable to find a no-kill shelter, build that little house you described and let the mother give birth in a safe place (see the Pregnancy section for tips). You can the mother spayed a few weeks after she gives birth (many shelters will do it for free) and then have the kittens put up for adoption or placed in foster care. Keep me posted. Simba

I have a friend that has four cats. Unfortunately they have decided that is three cats too many. They do not have the money to take out an ad and are leaning towards taking them to a shelter. Could you direct me to a web site that deals with giving away cats and kittens? Thanks, Marcus

Marcus,
A couple of thoughts. Your local pet stores often have adoption bulletin boards. These are usually free and can be quite effective. In addition, you can use craigslist, AdoptaPet, this is a great place for pet lovers. You can also try clicking here to find listings of no-kill shelters. As for your friends, if possible convince them to keep two of their kitties. Cats can have a difficult time with separation (read Helping New Cats). As you can imagine, being alone after having 3 friends can be difficult. Keep me posted. Simba

Dear Simba,
My cat had kittens a week ago and I have no clue how old the kittens have to be before we give them up. I have heard everything from 4 to 9 weeks. Please help. Lisa

Dear Lisa,
Congratulations on your cat's litter. Kittens rely on their mother's body heat for warmth and healthy development until they are ~5 weeks of age. Because of that, I recommend that you not let them leave for another 4 weeks, if not for a week or two later. These are very important times for the kittens so be gentle in your handling of them and be sure to let mother nurture them right. All the best. - Simba

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