How to Move Newborn Kittens

Co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

Last Updated: June 14, 2024 Fact Checked

Generally, a mother cat will seek out a safe place to birth her kittens. When she chooses a place, she generally has a set of particular things she is looking for quiet, dark, dry, warm, and safe from predators, male cats, or nosy humans. Occasionally, cats don’t make the wisest of decisions due to naiveté, changing circumstances, or just a bad choice. If this is the case, you may find yourself having to make the decision to move the kittens to a better spot to keep them safe.^{[1]
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Part 1

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Preparing to Move Newborn Kittens

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1
Pick a new spot for the mother and kittens. Ask yourself some questions prior to the move. Can you close the new area off to keep the mother from moving the kittens? Will the area be able to hold a litter box for the mother so she can relieve herself? Is there a safe spot (well away from the litter box) to place her water and food bowls?^{[2]
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- The chosen area also needs to be quiet. This means away from the general hubbub of the house, out of reasonable earshot of televisions, phones, and radios.
- It needs to be out of drafts and if the weather is chilly or the air conditioner is on it needs to be at a reasonable temperature: between 75-80 degrees is ideal. Closets in guest or seldom-used bedrooms work well, as does a quiet corner of a laundry or mud room. Basements, as long as they are dry and warm, are also a good choice to relocate a kitten nest.
A sturdy cardboard box as long and wide as the mother cat makes a great nest. Laundry baskets can also make a good nest provided the openings are less than an inch wide. If they are any bigger the kittens can potentially slip through putting them in danger of injury or chilling.^{[3]
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Place it in the quiet spot, then set up the cat’s litter box, food and water bowls. You want to make the spot inviting for the mother cat just as much as you want to make the nest safe and warm for the kittens.^{[4]
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Part 2

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Relocating Newborn Kittens

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Small bits of cooked chicken or a tablespoon of canned tuna might work. You want to lure her out of the nest but you also don't want to take her completely away. It's important for her to see what you are doing but from a small distance.^{[5]
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Kittens cry when being handled to attract the mother’s attention. Don’t let their mews discourage you from moving them to a safe spot.^{[6]
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Have the mother follow you into the new spot. Let her watch as you set the kitten down. She should be allowed to follow the kittens into the new nest.
- Some mother cats resent having their kittens touched and may be aggressive. Wear long sleeves, pants, and thick gloves if you suspect the mother might try to protect her kittens when you move them.^{[7]
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Keep newborn kittens and the mother in place. Once all the kittens and their mother are in the new nest, close the door to the area. Check them infrequently throughout the day to let the family adjust to their new surroundings.^{[8]
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- The mother cat will probably not like the new spot and may try to move and hide the kittens again. Keeping this in mind, choose a spot where you can keep the mother from doing so by closing a door.
- Feeding the mother tasty treats once or twice a day for a few days may make her more accepting of the new spot.
Keep the area closed off. The mom cat may be itching to move her kittens at the first opportunity putting her family back at risk. The mother may be upset at first but she should calm down gradually. Make sure she and the kittens have everything they need and that the mother is taking good care of the kittens.^{[9]
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If you need to move the kittens any long distance, put them into a cat carrier along with the mother to keep them from getting separated.

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