Kitten Sitters
You just found a litter of kittens! They are tiny and look so fragile. What do you do now?
Research has found that kittens, especially those born to feral moms, are better off being raised where mom lives. She will be less stressed and be able to better care for her kittens. We are hoping you will be a Kitten Sitter and watch over mom and her kittens.
What Does Being a Kitten Sitter Entail?
Instead of our traditional foster program where kittens are brought to our shelter then put into foster homes, Kitten Sitters will keep the mom and her family in the area she knows. You’ll make sure they have a safe, cozy place to grow up, feed them good food, and socialize the kittens to humans.
Don’t worry: you won’t be on your own. FieldHaven Feline Center will provide food, supplies, and expert advice while you are sitting the kittens. Our team of kitten pros are never more than a reach away.
Where is the Program Available?
Due to greatly decreased resources and a shortage in staff and volunteers, FieldHaven is ONLY offering the Kitten Sitter program in Placer County and Yuba County zip codes. We are sorry for the inconvenience.
Didn’t Find a Litter but Would Still Like to Help?
You don’t have to have found a litter of kittens to help. You can become a FieldHaven foster! We have kitten finders that for whatever reason need to have the kittens and possibly mom placed in-home for a short period until the next steps are finalized. This is where being a foster is the most rewarding. You get to help your community and the kittens!
Funding
The California Animal Welfare Collaborative awarded FieldHaven Feline Center a grant of $24,000 for the Kitten Sitters program, from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024.
Resources
- Hathaway Spay/Neuter Clinic
- Shasta Lake City Kitten Sitter Program
- Shasta Lake City Kitten Sitter Application Form
- Kitten Lady—Found a Kitten Outside? Here’s What To Do!
- Kitten Lady – Kitten Care Videos
- Kitten Lady – Kitten Webinar Series with the Kitten Lady and Royal Canin
- Alley Cat Allies® – How Old is That Kitten? Diagram [PDF]
- Alley Cat Allies® – Kitten Aging
- Alley Cat Allies® – Kitten and Mom Scenarios
- American Pets Live – Preparing Neonates Q&A
- ASPCA – I Found Kittens Outside, What Do I Do?
- Maddie’s Fund – Flattening the Curve
Dr. Heather Kennedy, our former FieldHaven shelter veterinarian, wrote this blog post explaining why it really is best, in most cases, to leave kittens in the community.
These kittens were both born on the same day. The kitten on the left (orange) was motherless and raised by a very experienced bottle feeder. The kitten on the right (black) was raised by its mom. They are about 5 weeks old in the picture. Look at how much bigger and healthier the mom-raised kitten is! Mom is always best!