Usually little kittens are left alone because the mother cat has
probably gone off looking for food for herself. If the kitten is
not in any distress, the best option is to walk away... as any
trace of human scent around the kitten would tell the mother cat
that a human has been around and possibly touching the kitten. It
is probable that the mother cat would then refuse to nurse the
kitten out of fear or dislike for humans....
rather than think of what to do, think of what NOT to do:
- DON'T feed the kitten with milk meant for human consumption. If
the kitten is really in distress and hungry, feed it with kitten
milk formula (available from pet shops) using a dripper or a kitten
milk bottle.
- DON'T play with it. If the kitten is not in any sign of distress,
there is no need to touch it. The mother cat is probably out to
hunt and will be back after you are gone.
- DON'T keep hanging around the area where the kitten is located.
The mother cat would feel intimidated about coming back to the
kitten and may end up indirectly causing the kitten to be
abandoned.
If you are concerned about the kitten or unsure whether the mother
cat will come back, just keep a lookout for the mother cat from a
distance.
Taking care of a baby kitten is serious business... requires
constant feeding (almost once every 2 hours) etc. Pretty much like
taking care of a human baby. If you can't commit that kind of time
or attention, just observe and look out for the mother cat to come
back.
