Late summer and early fall is peak “kitten season” — the tail end of when stray and feral cats have litters, and also a common time for puppies and kittens to be found abandoned or lost. If you’ve come across a stray kitten or puppy, what you do in the first hour matters, both for the animal’s safety and your own.
Here’s a clear, practical guide for exactly what to do.
Step 1: Observe Before You Approach
Before scooping up a kitten or puppy, take a moment to assess the situation:
- Is the mother nearby? For kittens especially, the mother cat may be out hunting and will return. Watch from a distance for 2–4 hours if the kitten appears healthy and isn’t in immediate danger.
- Does the animal look healthy or distressed? Crying persistently, visible injury, extreme thinness, or a kitten covered in insects are all signs that intervention is needed now, not later.
- Is it actually a stray, or just exploring? Puppies and kittens from a nearby home sometimes wander. Check for a collar, and ask around the immediate area before assuming the animal is abandoned.
When to Intervene Immediately
Don’t wait or observe if you see:
- Visible injury, bleeding, or signs of being hit by a vehicle
- A kitten or puppy that is extremely thin, weak, or unresponsive
- Very young kittens (eyes still closed) alone with no mother in sight after a few hours
- Extreme weather conditions — heat, cold, or heavy rain
- Obvious signs of illness — discharge from eyes or nose, difficulty breathing, severe lethargy
How to Safely Approach and Handle
Approach slowly and speak quietly. Stray and feral animals can be frightened and may scratch or bite defensively, even if they aren’t aggressive by nature. A towel can help you scoop up a kitten or small puppy safely, and provides some protection for both of you.
Once secured, place the animal in a secure carrier or box with a towel, in a quiet, temperature-controlled space — not loose in a car or room where they could hide or escape.
What to Do Next
Get a Veterinary Assessment
Any found stray, especially a kitten or puppy, should be examined by a vet as soon as reasonably possible. This is important for:
- Checking for underlying illness or parasites — fleas, worms, and upper respiratory infections are extremely common in strays
- Confirming approximate age, which affects feeding and care needs significantly
- Discussing vaccination and deworming needs
- Scanning for a microchip, in case the animal does have an owner
Until You Can Get to a Vet
Keep the animal warm, quiet, and separate from any other pets in your home to avoid disease transmission. Do not give cow’s milk to kittens or puppies — it can cause digestive upset. If the animal is very young and you’re unsure of safe feeding, wait for veterinary guidance rather than guessing.
Reporting and Finding the Owner
Post on local lost-and-found pet groups and check with neighbours. If no owner comes forward after a reasonable effort, local rescue organizations and shelters in the Fredericton area can help with fostering, adoption, or further care if you’re not able to keep the animal yourself.
What If You Plan to Keep Them?
If you’ve decided to adopt the stray, a full veterinary workup is still the right first step — vaccinations, parasite treatment, and a general health check protect both the new pet and any existing pets in your home.
Conclusion
Finding a stray kitten or puppy is a genuinely kind moment to act on, and a little bit of know-how makes it safer for everyone involved. Observe first when it’s safe to, intervene quickly when it isn’t, and get a veterinary check as soon as possible — it’s the single most useful thing you can do for an animal whose history you don’t know.