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Kitten Care & Rescue Resource Hub
Your go-to guide for saving and supporting vulnerable kittens — in Asheville and beyond.
Welcome to the Esther Neonatal Kitten Alliance Resource Hub — a centralized collection of trusted, easy-to-follow tools and guides for anyone helping kittens in need. Whether you're a first-time foster, a concerned community member, or part of a rescue, shelter, or veterinary clinic, this hub is here to support you.
From step-by-step kitten care tutorials to local services in Western North Carolina, you'll find everything you need to confidently care for kittens and connect with support in your area.
Local Resources (Asheville, Western NC, South Carolina)
If you’re located in or near Asheville, North Carolina, we’ve compiled a list
of regional resources to help you access affordable care, supplies, and services:
Regional Rescue Groups and Animal Shelters
NORTH CAROLINA
Buncombe County
Franklin County
Haywood County
Henderson County
Jackson County
Moore County
Pender County
Polk County
Randolph County
Rutherford County
Swain County
Transylvania County
Watauga County
Yancey County
Emergency Vet Clinics and After-Hours Services
Low-Cost Spay & Neuter Clinics in North Carolina
Veterinary Care Assistance
Pet Food Pantries in and Near Asheville
Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) Programs
& Community Cat Support
Kitten Care How-To Guides
These resources are perfect for people across the country (and globe!) who want to learn
how to help kittens in need:
Identifying if a kitten is sick or injured
Kittens are fragile, fast-changing little creatures — and they often hide signs of illness or injury until it becomes serious. Whether you’ve found a kitten outside or are caring for one in your home, knowing what to watch for can make the difference between life and death. This guide will help you recognize early warning signs that a kitten may be sick, in pain, or in need of urgent medical care — so you can act fast and give them the best chance at survival.
Signs of a sick kitten:
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Thin or bloated stomachs, thin faces, visible ribs and spine
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Cold ears, bellies, and paws
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Pale gums and tongues
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Limp and lethargic; almost no movement
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Excessively crusted eyes or nose
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Diarrhea or vomiting
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Struggling to breathe
Signs of an injured kitten:
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Limping
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Visible wounds or sores
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Crying out in pain
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Signs of maggots or flystrike
Should you remove kittens from where you found them?
Often, the safest place for a kitten is to stay where they are, rather than being brought into an animal shelter where they will be exposed to illness and could be at risk of euthanasia if the shelter is full. Take a look at the additional resources below to help make a decision:
Kitten Weight and Feeding Charts
Weighing kittens daily is one of the most important (and easy!) ways to monitor their health. Even before symptoms appear, weight loss or lack of gain can be the first sign that something’s wrong. Tracking weight is essential for newborn and growing kittens — and how it can help you catch problems early, adjust care, and keep fragile babies on the path to thriving.
Kitten Socializing and Behavior
Socialization and behavior play a huge role in helping kittens grow into confident, adoptable cats. In this section, you'll find resources to guide you through every stage — from gently introducing shy or undersocialized kittens to people, to managing common behaviors like play biting or fearfulness. Whether you're working with bottle babies, older kittens, or scared rescues, these tools will help you build trust, encourage positive interactions, and support healthy development.
Helping You Help Them
Our goal is simple: to make sure that no kitten is left behind because someone didn’t know what to do or where to turn. Whether you’re here to learn how to bottle feed a kitten, find a low-cost spay/neuter clinic, or educate your shelter team, we’re glad you’re here — and we’re here to help.
Have a question or know a resource we should add? Email us anytime at info@kittenalliance.org — we’d love to hear from you.