What To Do And NOT Do If You Find A Litter Of Kittens
Resist the urge to move them. Instead, observe the kittens quietly from a distance for a period of 12 to 24 hours, as the mother may simply be out looking for food or a better place to move them to and is more than likely to return to care for them.
You can put cat food out for the mom and a box that the mother could use to keep her kittens in. Don’t put the kittens inside it, just put it near them. Let mom decided whether to use it.
Kittens are born without the antibodies that build their immune system to help protect them from viral and bacterial infections. Without those antibodies, their chance of survival is almost nil. The only way they get those antibodies is from their mother’s milk. Separating a kitten from its mother too early can be a death sentence, no matter what support we are able to give them.