Spring is well underway, meaning love is in the air and there are plenty of baby animals out and about in nature – including kittens.
San Diego County issued a warning to the public to leave feral kittens alone, even if it may seem they may be without a mother. Well-meaning “kitnappers” inadvertently separate young kittens from their mothers at ages they still need them most, according to the county.
San Diego News
“The mother cat may just be out hunting for her meal before returning to nurse her neonatal kittens,” the county said in a statement. “Neonatal kittens are four weeks and under and are still nursing; they cannot survive on their own and need special care.”
Get San Diego local news, weather forecasts, sports and lifestyle stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC San Diego newsletters.
Feral mother cats often leave their litters alone for extended periods of time but sometimes return to an empty home when good Samaritans scoop up the kittens and take them to a shelter or try to care for them, themselves. Young cats are best with their mothers until they’re 2 months old.
According to the county, animal experts advise the public to observe seemingly abandoned kittens from a distance before stepping in. It’s fair to become involved if kittens are in immediate danger from predators or traffic, if they look injured or sick or if the mother cat hasn’t returned in six hours.
For more information from the county, click here.
