There is a stray kitten outside asking me for help. What should I do?

Go out there and help that cat.Call the vet and see what they say.

If you are afraid to touch it, contact animal control or your local shelter.

If you feel comfortable picking it up in a towel, do so. Then drive it to your local Humane Society or no kill cat shelter/rescue center.

I have family that works at animal shelters, and from what you have described, it sounds like the kitten may be put to sleep if you drop it off at a shelter. Most stray cats have not received the required immunizations to keep them healthy, and their immune systems are compromised from drinking exposed water and eating rotted food. PLEASE do not handle the kitten no matter how cute it is, due to possible ferocious and violent behavior the cat could produce from fear of you or it’s surroundings. It might be better off if it was simply left alone.

Do not touch it. Call animal control or the humane society or a shelter. If you have a back porch or garage, you can let him in, so they can easily find the kitty, but do not let him in your house. If you don’t have cat food, canned tuna should be appealing to him. Do not touch the cat! Not unless you live in Hawaii.

I just saw the “Will they charge me?” no. It’s free.

More than likely the kitten has an upper respiratory infection.
Running eyes and nose, sneezing. Easily cured with a simple antibiotic.
The likelihood of rabies is small. I’d call your local shelter to see if they can pick it up or advise you on transport.

I don’t agree with just leaving it alone as @Bill Lumberg suggested.

Better it be given a humane death than a slow, lingering one on the street, and, it is entirely possible it can be cured with an antibiotic and still be an adoptable pet.

This is a bad time of year, lots of kittens and cats at the shelters, so, the odds are not as good as they could be, but, I do not think we should ever turn our back on anything that is suffering.

I am not saying don’t take precautions in handling the kitten, but, the odds of it transmitting something to you are very, very unlikely.

I gotta make mention, the kitty in my avatar was a skinny 6 month old stray one week ago, I took her to the shelter, they checked her out, spayed and vaccinated her, and, I adopted her yesterday!

^Like @Coloma, my kitten is almost 2 now. She was a stray with fleas, parasites, and blood coming out of her. She was in desperate need of vet care. We personally paid for the care she received. Not everyone is in a position to do so.

This time of year, many shelters have mobile health centers due to the high volume of kittens and pregnant cats needing medical care. Cats that would normally be put down get a chance. If you can give this kitten an chance, do so, please.

@SpatzieLover

“Like @Coloma, my kitten is almost 2 now.”

I had no idea that Coloma was so young. ;-o

Good on you for saving that kitty’s life. :-)

About a month or two ago we paid to get a transfusion for a kitten that had a circulatory crisis caused by fleas.

Help the kitty!

A stray kitten that was not even two months old found me in very much a similar condition.

If you’re near a petsmart, the Banfield clinics can offer to take the kitten off your hands, treat it, and put it through their adoption services for free.

Help the kitten and keep us posted :(

Thank you all for the replies. I found a humane society and was going to take it down there. When I went back outside to get it, it wasn’t around. Probably because it had just started pouring and it sought shelter. It looked quite weak earlier like it wouldn’t make it. It came up to me out of no where and was crying like it was desperate for help. I say this because in my experience stray cats are fearful of people and do not get too close. I came back later and it was dead. Way to make my already crappy week worse.

His chances were slim. :(
Hope your week picks up.

Thank you for the update @prioritymail. You did the best you could. :(

Aw. Poor kitty. And poor you, I am sure it is upsetting. I think it was too late then, you probably could not have done anything to save it. :(