Thank you for contacting us regarding kittens.
Many people find those tiny bundles of kittens and almost always find them without mom. We get hundreds of calls a month this time of year. You may be inclined to just scoop them up and contact agencies to urgently “save” these kittens. Taking kittens from their mother jeopardizes their survival. What do we recommend, when you find kittens? First and foremost, we want you to help get the word out to “Leave them be”.
Mom cats are rarely with their kittens unless they are providing direct care. Mom needs to find food for herself and sleep, at a distance when the kittens are sleeping. She does this and finds a spot where she can keep an eye on them from a distance. She selected her nest carefully and has backups. Mom may be moving her litter to the new location. Especially if she sees humans interfering with the kittens. How do you know if mom has returned? Sprinkle a ring of flour around the nest and then check every 5 hours and look for footprints. Mom will return if you leave them be. For more details on what to do, see this flow chart.
If kittens are between 5 weeks and 12 weeks old, and they are eating on their own, you can get assistance with getting those kittens to our partners at IndyHumane. You can email prc@indyhumane.org and let them know you have kittens you would like to get into foster to be adopted as pets. You will know the time is right when mom starts bringing the kittens to find food for themselves.