There are kittens in my garden

The DSPCA receive calls on a daily basis about kittens found in people’s gardens. The care needed for these kittens all depends on their age. Kittens aged 6 weeks and under belong with their mothers as they are still fully or partially reliant on their mother’s milk. It is not recommended for nursing mothers of kittens under 8 weeks old to come into a shelter environment due to high stress and vulnerability to infections and this is where YOU CAN HELP and we can be there for support until the kittens are ready to leave their mother and find homes.

Start here

It is very important that young kittens are not taken away from the mothers if they are still feeding from her. The mother cat will be around keeping a close eye on her kittens coming back and forth throughtout the day while she searches for food for herself. If young kittens are removed too young they could die as they are missing out on essential nutrients and care from their mothers. It is therefore important to estimate the age of the kittens in order to know what do next.

Please note that if the kittens are injured or critically sick please call the DSPCA on (01) 499 4700 select option 2 or email info@dspca.ie

Estimating the age of kittens

Kittens 0 – 2 weeks old

Newborn kittens aged between 0-2 weeks will have their eyes closed and their ears folded. They will have no teeth and their gums, nose, and paws may appear bright pink in colour. The umbilical cord normally falls off on its own at around 4 to 5 days of age so at 1 and 2 weeks old they will have no umbilical cord. Their claws will be non-retractable. Kittens this age belong with their mother full time. Please DO NOT remove…

Kittens 2 – 4 weeks old

At 2 weeks old the kitten's eye will be open and baby blue in colour. Their vision will be poor. The ear canals will be open and their ears will be small and round like a bear cub. They will have no teeth and their claws will still be non-retractable. At 3 weeks old their ears begin to point upward and their vision and hearing is slowly improving. At 4 weeks old they will start to explore and develop and…

Kittens 4 – 6 weeks old

At 4 weeks old their vision and hearing has much improved. The kitten's teeth will continue to develop and will start to come through the gums. Their claws will be retractable. At 5 weeks they will be running and playing confidently. Their social skills with humans and other animals will start to develop more and their grooming skills will be much improved. If healthy they may begin to the weaning process and can be introduces to wet kitten food along…

Kittens 6 – 7 weeks old

At 6 weeks age old, the kitten's baby teeth will begin to reach their final stage of early development. Their eyes will still be blue, and vision and hearing will be fully developed. At this age they will be socialising confidently with their siblings and be curious about their surroundings and eager to explore. Their coordination improves and if they jump from a small height they will land on their feet. At 7 weeks old their eye colour will be…

Kittens 8 weeks old

At 8 weeks old all baby teeth will be present, the eyes will be completely transitioned to their adult colour of green, yellow, brown or blue and their ears will be proportionate. 8 week old kittens will be energetic and independent and their coordination will be nearly fully developed. Kittens this age should have access to wet and dry kitten food and plenty of fresh water. At this age the DSPCA can give them their first vaccination and start the…

To read more about our Trap Neuter Return (TNR) Programme click HERE

Help us and foster kittens

Don't Kit-Nap!

Can you see the mom cat around? A kitten’s best chance of survival is with their mother. Leave the kittens alone where they are. If you want to help, make sure mom has access to shelter, food and water and book to have her Trapped, Neutered and Returned (TNR) and the kittens when they are old enough.

To read more about our Trap Neuter Return (TNR) Programme click HERE

Help us and foster kittens