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Spaying/neutering benefits each cat’s individual life by improving their overall health. Female cats who are spayed are less likely to develop certain cancers, Pyometra (infection of the uterus), and die during birth. Male cats who are neutered are less likely to engage in fights with other males which will prevent wounds, abscesses, and the likelihood of contracting FIV. In addition, fixing cats will benefit your community by reducing spraying odors and reducing cat mating/fighting sounds.
Indoor cats can live 12-18 years while outdoor cats life an average of 3 years
Cats left to roam outdoors are at a higher risk of being poisoned, eating toxic plants, being attacked by wild animals (cats can make up to 42% of a coyotes diet) or hurt by humans or cars, getting into fights with other cats, increased risk of fleas, worms, parasites, increased risk of contracting Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) or Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)
If the kittens look sickly, dirty, wet, or are crying, bring them indoors as it is likely they are not being cared for by their mother. Otherwise, go on to step 2.
If the answer to any of these questions is yes, you should move the kittens to a nearby safer location, close enough for the mother to find them, or in the case of weather concerns, provide a simple shelter for them.
After assessing the situation, if you determine that the kittens are healthy and in a safe location, it is best to wait and watch to see if the momma cat will return. You should stay at least 35 feet away, but the farther the better. Do not place food near the kittens to try to entice the mother to return. She almost always hides her litter away from food sources to protect them from other cats or predators.
In some cases you may need to leave the area completely and check back in 4-6 hours to see if the kittens are still OK. Especially if momma cat is feral, she will most likely not return until she no longer senses the presence of humans. In this case, you can sprinkle a line of flour (or another visible, cat-safe substance like small twigs) around the kittens’ nest to see if it is disturbed when you return. If it is, and the kittens are otherwise in roughly the condition you left them, they’re probably fine and are being cared for. Keep in mind that healthy kittens can survive several hours without food as long as they are warm. Hypothermia is a much greater risk than starvation for neonatal kittens.
If momma cat returns and you’ve determined the area is relatively safe, leave the kittens alone until they are weaned at approximately 5-6 weeks. You can monitor the area from a distance and offer shelter and food, but keep the two apart from one another. Mom won’t use the shelter if food is nearby, and if your presence becomes too intrusive to her, she will relocate. Once the kittens are old enough, you can trap them, along with mom, so that they can be seen by a veterinarian, socialized, spayed/neutered, and hopefully adopted.
Remember, it is also extremely important that you trap the momma cat as well and take her in to be spayed so that she will not continue to give birth to litters on the streets.