Spring and summer are kitten season in Spain. Every year, well-meaning people find young kittens and assume they have been abandoned.
In many cases, however, the mother cat is nearby and caring for them. Knowing what to do can make the difference between helping a kitten and accidentally taking it away from the care it needs most: its mother.
The First Rule: Don’t Panic
Finding a tiny kitten alone can be worrying. Your first instinct may be to pick it up and take it home. However, this is often the wrong thing to do. Mother cats regularly leave their kittens for several hours while they search for food, water, or a safe place to rest. The fact that you cannot see the mother does not necessarily mean the kitten has been abandoned.
Before intervening, take a moment to assess the situation.
Check Whether the Mother Is Nearby
If the kitten appears clean, warm, and relatively calm, there is a good chance the mother is still caring for it. Move a short distance away and observe from a safe distance. Ideally, watch the area for several hours if possible. Mother cats are often reluctant to approach while people are nearby.
If the kitten is part of a litter, the chances are even greater that the mother is still caring for them. Remember, a mother cat’s best defence is often to stay hidden. Just because you cannot see her does not mean she has abandoned her kittens.
Contact Jávea Feral Cats
Before taking any action, contact the volunteers at Jávea Feral Cats. They may already know the location and be monitoring the colony. Many kitten sightings occur in established colonies where volunteers are already providing food, water, shelter, and sterilisation programmes.
A quick message on the Javea Feral Cats Facebook group, with the streetname/neighborhood and a photo, can help determine whether intervention is necessary.
Why You Should Not Remove Kittens From Their Mother
A mother cat provides far more than food. She keeps her kittens warm, cleans them, protects them, teaches them important social behaviours, and gives them the best chance of survival. Even experienced rescuers struggle to replicate the care a mother provides.
Removing healthy kittens too early can result in:
- Poor social development
- Increased risk of illness
- Feeding difficulties
- Behavioural problems later in life
- Lower survival rates in very young kittens
Whenever possible, kittens should remain with their mother until they are old enough to be safely weaned. In many cases, leaving healthy kittens with their mother is the kindest and safest option.
The Impact on the Mother Cat
There is another important reason not to remove healthy kittens unnecessarily. Mother cats are often able to become pregnant again surprisingly quickly after giving birth. If kittens are removed too early, the mother may stop nursing sooner and can become pregnant again, resulting in yet another litter of kittens needing help.
By allowing healthy kittens to remain with their mother until they are old enough to be weaned, rescuers have more time to monitor the family and arrange for the mother to be sterilised at the appropriate time. This helps prevent future litters and reduces the cycle of unwanted kittens living on the streets.
Can I Give the Kitten Milk?
No.
Do not give a kitten cow’s milk or regular milk from your fridge. Most kittens cannot properly digest cow’s milk, which can cause diarrhoea and dehydration. Fresh water is safe to offer if the kitten is old enough to drink independently.
If a very young orphaned kitten genuinely requires feeding, specialised kitten milk replacer should be used instead.
When Should You Intervene?
Intervention may be necessary if:
- The kitten appears injured.
- The kitten is visibly ill.
- The kitten is extremely weak or unresponsive.
- The kitten is cold to the touch.
- The kitten is in immediate danger.
- You have monitored the area and are confident the mother has not returned.
In these situations, the kitten may require urgent assistance.
What If the Kitten Is Injured or Sick?
If the kitten appears injured, seriously ill, or in immediate distress, follow the local protocol used in Jávea. Contact the Local Police and report the situation. The authorities can coordinate with the veterinary services and rescue organisations that work with the municipality.
Emergency Contact
Jávea Local Police (Policía Local)
Telephone: 965 79 00 81
This is especially important for kittens that have been hit by a vehicle, attacked by another animal, or are suffering from severe illness.
Keep the Kitten Safe While Waiting for Help
If immediate intervention is necessary:
- Place the kitten in a secure box or carrier.
- Keep it warm using a towel or blanket.
- Provide fresh water if appropriate.
- Keep it in a quiet environment away from dogs and other animals.
- Do not force-feed the kitten. Warmth is often more important than food for very young kittens.
Not Every Kitten Needs Rescuing
This may sound surprising, but many kittens are rescued when they do not actually need rescuing. The best outcome for a healthy young kitten is usually to remain safely with its mother until it is old enough to be weaned.
By observing carefully and seeking advice before intervening, you can give kittens the best possible chance of a healthy future.
Please Remember: Jávea Does Not Yet Have a Cat Shelter
Many people are surprised to learn that Jávea currently does not have a dedicated cat shelter. Catland Jávea is working hard to change that by building the town’s first cat shelter, but at the time of writing, the shelter is not yet open.
This means we do not have the facilities or capacity to take in every kitten that is found. For this reason, it is especially important not to remove healthy kittens from their mother unnecessarily. In many cases, the best place for a young kitten is with its mother until it is old enough to be weaned.
Catland may occasionally be able to assist in genuine emergencies through our network of volunteers and foster homes, but places are extremely limited and cannot be guaranteed.
If you are unsure whether a kitten requires intervention, please contact us via Facebook Messenger before taking action whenever possible. We can help assess the situation and advise on the best course of action.
Need Advice?
If you have found a kitten in Jávea and are unsure what to do, please contact us before removing the kitten from the area whenever possible.
The best way to reach Catland Jávea is through Facebook Messenger or via a message on our Facebook page.
Please send:
- A photograph of the kitten or kittens
- The exact location
- An estimate of the kittens’ age, if possible
- Any information about the mother cat
- Details of any injuries or health concerns
Please do not rely on email for urgent situations. As a volunteer-run organisation, we cannot guarantee that emails will be seen or answered quickly. Facebook Messenger is monitored much more regularly and is the fastest way to reach our team.
We can help assess the situation and advise on the safest course of action. If the kittens belong to a known colony, we may also coordinate with Jávea Feral Cats and other local volunteers to ensure the kittens receive the appropriate care.
Helping Cats in Jávea
Catland Jávea works alongside local volunteers, foster homes, veterinarians, and organisations such as Jávea Feral Cats to improve the lives of street cats and kittens in our community.
Rescue resources are always limited. Caring for orphaned kittens can require specialist milk, veterinary treatment, experienced foster carers, and many hours of round-the-clock care. By ensuring intervention only takes place when it is truly necessary, these valuable resources remain available for kittens that are genuinely orphaned, sick, injured, or in immediate danger.
By knowing when to intervene—and when not to—you can play an important role in helping kittens grow up healthy and safe.
Together, we can make sure every kitten receives the help it truly needs — and that healthy kittens are not unnecessarily separated from their mother.
Looking to support our work? Learn more about Catland Jávea and our mission to build the Jávea’s first dedicated cat shelter.
