Someone found 19 kittens in a plastic bag in a bathroom at an Oneonta Hospital. 

They range in age from 2 days to 4 weeks old. 

Officials from the Susquehanna Animal Shelter say they are currently in foster homes.

However, animal advocates say stray and abandoned kittens are an issue nationwide.

The Broome County Humane Society manager says if you find a litter of kittens, the first thing you should do is wait to see if the mother comes back.

If not, reach out to different shelters or foster programs to see if they have space.

She encourages people to do research and be prepared to care for the kittens until you can find them a home.

But most importantly, try to have the cats spayed and neutered to avoid the problem from the start.

"It's really important that they get the care they need and that they can rest and be warm," said Amberly Ondria,the  Broome County Humane Society shelter manager. "There's so much that goes into taking care of little kittens from regulating body temperature to keeping them hydrated, making sure they have enough food, they're dewormed, they're vaccinated."

The Humane Society has seen an influx of animals - they are now caring for nearly 50 kittens and 100 cats.