Abandoned Newborn Kittens Care

I knew very little about newborn kitten care (but a lot about cat care), so a visit to my local veterinarian was the first thing on my list. Don't be afraid to ask plenty of questions or for recommendations. Your primary concern in caring for your newborn kitten is temperature regulation. Newborn kittens get cold very easily.

Abandoned newborn kittens care. The care that you give some newborn kittens will depend on a few things: the kittens’ ages, whether or not the mother cat is still caring for the kittens, and how healthy the kittens are. If you find a litter of kittens that have been separated from their mother, then you will need to provide the things a mother cat would, such as food. Abandoned Kitten Care Guide (The Basics) If you choose to care for orphaned newborn kittens yourself, here are the basics to get you started. 1. Warmth is essential! Kittens cannot regulate their temperature! Keeping kittens warms is the MOST important thing you will do. If they have a mama cat, this is usually not an issue. First of all, many people come upon litters of kittens outdoors and assume they’ve been abandoned when, in fact, mom is nearby, probably hunting. Outdoor or stray moms sometimes scatter their kittens to avoid predation. If the kittens seem well fed, are in a safe place, and fall asleep after crying for a short while, mom is probably around. However, ignoring them will only make the situation worse. A dumped pregnant cat may shortly have kittens beneath your porch. Healthy kittens, abandoned without their mother, will soon starve or become ill or injured. While you absolutely did not cause the problem, it has become yours, much like a storm that drops a tree in your yard.

To care for an abandoned kitten, start by holding it against your body to keep it warm, since being too cold can be life-threatening to kittens. Once the kitten is warmed up, put it in a box with a towel-wrapped heating pad set to low. Then, feed it every 2-3 hours, using a bottle and giving it kitty-formula cat food. A mother cat’s milk provides everything a kitten needs during the first four weeks of life. If you have newborn kittens who’ve been separated from their mother, consult with a veterinarian, shelter or experienced foster care giver who can help you find a new mother cat with a small litter-she may be able to nurse the orphaned babies. How to care for 1 week old kitten: step three. While kittens know how to suck the nipple by instinct, you may come across a newborn that somehow refuses to take the nipple. When your newborn kitten refuse to suckle, you may coax them by delicately stroking its back or rubbing the nipple gently but firmly on the newborn’s forehead. Taking care of newborn kittens that have been orphaned can be very rewarding, but very challenging. Humans are poor substitutes for a mother cat, and care and feeding of very young kittens is a full-time job. Unfortunately, sometimes a mother cat is unwell and unable to nurse, or else she rejects.

Newborn Kitten. When kittens are first born they are completely helpless—their eyes are closed, their ears are folded, and they can’t stand, keep themselves warm or eat on their own.They rely on mom for everything! Learn more about newborn kittens in our Kitten Guide Orphan Kitten Crew is a rescue program that targets orphaned and abandoned newborn kittens. Our Neonatal Kitten Nursery provides around the clock intensive care so that tiny kittens can survive. Shelters are oftentimes overwhelmed and do not have the resources needed for young kittens survival. The outcome often ends in euthanasia. Perhaps you have met a litter or two of allegedly abandoned kittens. Naturally, you feel the urge to rescue these poor babies. However, taking care of newborn kittens without the mother is challenging. I have been fostering kittens and puppies for a number of years. Taking care of helpless kittens requires dedication and a lot of patience. Feeding a newborn orphaned kitten is a challenge but can be fun and rewarding. Here are some guidelines to follow when assisting orphaned kittens. If you are sure the mother cat is unable to care for them, congratulations…you have a new and challenging responsibility! We first need to determine how old they are before we try to start feeding.

For more on kitten care, read Kitten Care Stages: Newborn to 72 Weeks. Christina Montoya Fiedler is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer. She has two boys, one fur baby and two feathered friends. Pet lovers who must care for a 4-week-old kitten without the aid of a momma cat should pay special attention to keeping the kitten warm, fed properly and healthy through quality vet care. Keep Warm At 4 weeks, kittens’ bodies are just becoming able to regulate temperature on their own. Care for Newborn Kittens by thevetscare.com. A mother cat’s milk provides everything a kitten needs during the first four weeks of life. If you have newborn kittens who’ve been separated from their mother, consult with a veterinarian, shelter or experienced foster care giver who can help you find a new mother cat with a small litter-she may be able to nurse the orphaned babies. Orphaned neonatal kittens require around-the-clock care, so you’ll want to establish a routine of care every 2-4 hours (the younger they are, the more frequent the intervals.) Between feedings, it’s normal for the kittens to sleep, just make sure they are in a safe and confined space. 9. Foster for success!

Newborn kittens need round-the-clock care and monitoring, but can be raised by a human caregiver. If you’ve rescued a kitten whose mother died or abandoned her, you’ll have to fill that role. Newborn kittens need round-the-clock care and monitoring, but can be raised by a human caregiver.. Orphaned kittens will need extra care for survival to compensate for the loss of their mother. Kittens must be kept warm, very clean, and fed frequently using an appropriate amount and type of formula by bottle or less often tube feeding. To ensure nutrition is adequate, daily weight checks should be performed for the first 4 weeks, then weekly thereafter.