You should trap and sterilize the whole family. How you proceed depends on the age of the kittens.


Don't trap a mother who is nursing her kittens unless you can catch the kittens, too. Tiny kittens cannot survive away from their mothers for long.

If the kittens are newly weaned (usually four to six weeks), ask if your veterinarian can perform surgery and return the mother within 48 hours. Even though eating solid food, very young kittens are unlikely to survive without their mother for body heat and protection. (If your vet cannot meet this time frame, wait until the kittens are older to trap the queen.)

Try to trap the kittens no later than eight to ten weeks of age. The sooner they have human contact, the easier it will be to socialize them.

At twelve weeks and older, kittens can be sterilized, vaccinated, and returned to the location where they were living outside.