Caring for a newborn kitten that has been abandoned by its mother is a highly commendable act, but it has many challenges. Humans are not ideal substitutes for mother cats, but raising and feeding kittens is a full-time job. Unfortunately, sometimes a mother cat is in such a bad condition that she can't breastfeed her kittens, or maybe she just refuses and leaves the kittens so that the kittens need help. Before you try to help a kitten that has been abandoned by its mother, contact your nearest animal shelter and veterinarian to try to find a surrogate mother who can breastfeed. Some mother cats will receive, feed and bathe kittens left by their mothers, and this is the best thing you can do to ensure that the kittens survive. If not, create a good environment to care for them and learn how to properly feed and care for kittens under three weeks of age.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Creating a Good Environment for Kittens
Step 1. Learn how to handle kittens
Always wash your hands before and after handling kittens. These animals sometimes carry disease or easily infected germs and bacteria, which can infect you. When you pick up the kitten, lift it carefully. Always make sure that the kitten is warm, by checking to see if the paws are cold. Usually kittens will cry if they feel cold.
If you have other pets, make sure that you separate your pet from the motherless kittens for at least two weeks. Do not put boxes, food, or water bowls together with the animals, as these are susceptible to disease
Step 2. Keep the kittens warm
Newborn kittens (under 2 weeks of age) cannot regulate their own body temperature and usually warm themselves in their mother's arms. Since this is currently not possible, purchase a heating pad made especially for puppies or kittens. Place the kittens on a heating pad, but be sure not to touch the pillow directly if there is no flea guard covering it. If there is no cover, wrap the pillow in a towel.
- Kittens should not be directly exposed to heating pads, as their bodies may be burned or overheated.
- You can also use a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel, but check it often to make sure it's still warm (about 38 degrees Celsius).
Step 3. Make a soft bed
Place a box or cat bed in a quiet, corner of your house. The room to put it should be warm and windless, and away from other pets. Place a towel in the box to make it comfortable for the kitten to rest. You should also cover the box or cage with a towel to keep it warm.
Make sure not to cover any air holes in the box or cage, so the kitten doesn't have a hard time breathing
Step 4. Bring the kittens together
You don't need a separate box or cage for each kitten. Put all the kittens in the same bed. This will also help the kittens to be warm and comfortable. Make sure that there is enough room for the kittens to move around.
For example, kittens should be able to move away from heating pads if they start to feel hot
Part 2 of 3: Feeding the Kitten
Step 1. Buy powdered milk substitute for cat milk
Purchase a powdered cat milk substitute, such as Cimicat, from a veterinarian's clinic, a large pet store, or online. This is the equivalent formula for kittens, with the same milk composition as mother cat's milk. “Don't mix it with cow's milk”, because the sugar or lactose content of cow's milk can make kittens sick to their stomachs.
If you don't have a milk substitute and the kittens are hungry, give them cooled boiled water. Use a dropper or sprayer before you have time to go to the vet's clinic or pet store. The water will keep the kittens hydrated and won't cause an upset stomach
Step 2. Get ready to feed the kittens
Sterilize bottles and nipples by dipping them in boiling water, then cooling them with a clean towel. Mix the replacement formula by shaking the bottle until a little milk comes out. You should warm the milk to about 35-38 degrees Celsius before feeding it to the kittens. Before giving it to the kitten, put a small drop of milk on your wrist to make sure it's not too hot.
Always make sure that the kittens are warm before feeding them. Never feed a kitten whose body temperature is below 35 degrees. This will cause his lungs to choke to the point of difficulty breathing, and can even lead to death
Step 3. Correct the position of the kitten and the bottle as you feed
Never hold a kitten while feeding it (as if you were breastfeeding a human baby). Instead, keep the kitten's paws down and its head up, as if it were suckling from its mother. Hold the kitten by the back of its neck and put the pacifier in its mouth. The kitten will adjust the position of his mouth until he is comfortable sucking the milk. Let the kitten suck the milk from the bottle on its own. Do not force the milk into his mouth.
- Don't forget to make the kitten burp after drinking milk. Burp a kitten like you would a human baby. Place the kitten on your chest, lap or shoulder, and gently rub and pat the kitten on the back with two fingers until it burps.
- If a kitten is difficult to feed, hold its face and don't let it move its head. Try feeding again and slightly press the bottle to release a few drops of milk. This will help him find the tip of the pacifier.
Step 4. Feed your kitten regularly
You can tell when the kitten is hungry, that is, if the kitten is crying and moving around like looking for its mother's nipple. Kittens should be fed every 2-3 hours for the first two weeks of life. It is best to use a feeding bottle specifically made for kittens (eg the Catac brand). Follow the instructions on the milk replacement package to determine how much milk powder is needed for each preparation. A full kitten usually falls asleep while sucking milk and its stomach will be rounded.
- In an emergency, use a small drip or spray device to get the milk into the kitten's mouth.
- After two weeks, kittens can be fed every 3-4 hours, 6 hours apart at night.
Part 3 of 3: Taking Care of Kittens
Step 1. Help the kitten to defecate and urinate
Usually, the mother cat will lick her child's genitals after each feeding so that the kittens defecate and urinate. Before and after feeding, you need to rub the kitten's genital area and anus with a cotton swab soaked in warm water. This will stimulate the kitten to have a bowel movement, as kittens can't do without this stimulation until they are a few weeks old. Place the kitten on a clean blanket and turn him on his side. Use a wet cotton swab to rub his genitals and anus in a one-way motion, not back and forth like a friction motion. You will notice that the kitten will urinate and defecate. Keep rubbing until the kitten has finished urinating.
Cat urine is usually odorless and usually pale yellow in color. The droppings are usually yellowish-brown in color. If you notice white or green discharge, or urine that is cloudy and has a strong smell, this means the kitten may be dehydrated or need medical attention
Step 2. Clean the kittens
When you're done feeding and helping the kittens poop, you'll need to clean them up. Take a warm, damp cloth and gently wipe the kitten's fur. Make sure that you dry the kitten with a towel until it is completely dry, then place the kitten on a soft, warm bed.
If you notice dry litter sticking to the kitten's fur, gently dip the affected area in a bowl of warm water. Then carefully, clean the dirt with a cloth
Step 3. Check the kitten's body weight
The kittens should gain weight during the first few months. Be sure to weigh each kitten daily and record the results. Kittens usually double in weight one week after birth. Body weight will continue to increase about 14 grams every day after the first week of age. If the kitten has stopped gaining weight or has lost weight, this means something is wrong and the kitten may need to be taken to the vet.
For example, kittens are usually born weighing 90-110 grams. At about two weeks of age, a kitten should weigh about 200 grams. And after three weeks, the kitten should have weighed 280 grams
Step 4. Know the schedule for taking your kitten to the vet
It's a good idea to take your kitten to the vet as soon as possible, so that the vet checks her hydration level, the presence of worms and parasites, and her general health. Some vet clinics usually offer free grooming if you tell them you're caring for an abandoned kitten. You should also know when to take the kitten to the vet for medical treatment. Take the kittens to the vet if you have any of the following signs:
- body temperature that is too high or low (above 40 degrees or below 37 degrees)
- loss of appetite (if a kitten does not want to eat at all for a day, seek immediate medical attention)
- vomiting (if persistent, give immediate medical attention)
- lose weight
- coughing, wheezing, discharge from the eyes or nose
- diarrhea (if persistent, give immediate medical attention)
- loss of energy
- bleeding anywhere (give immediate medical attention)
- difficulty breathing (give immediate medical attention)
- certain trauma, eg being hit by a car, falling, limping, being stepped on, loss of consciousness (give immediate medical attention)
Tips
- Many cities have good programs to help create stray-free countries.
- Animal shelters are often a good place to get cheap advice and care, and can help you find shelter for your kittens when they're old enough. Some of them even have volunteers who are committed to raising the kittens until they can be adopted.
- The best place for a newborn kitten is with its mother alone. Feral cats usually stay with their mothers until they are four weeks old, if this is possible. Observe the kittens to make sure they are really abandoned or abandoned before you treat them. Sometimes the mother is just traveling not far from that location. Abandoned kittens are usually dirty and constantly cry because they are cold and hungry.
- If you find a group of newborn kittens abandoned by their mothers but you can't take care of the kittens and have no one to help you, take the poor animals to an animal shelter as soon as possible. Nearby animal shelters know how to properly care for abandoned kittens.
- If there is only one kitten, a fluffy stuffed animal is enough to warm him up and remind him of his mother or siblings.
- Use a toothbrush to help mimic the surface of the mother cat's tongue when the kitten has finished eating. Place a clock that reads “tick tock, tick tock” in the cage, to make the kitten feel more comfortable.
