Although adorable, kittens are quite a hassle. When a cat gives birth or you find an abandoned kitten, you have to make a decision about the kitten's survival. Handing over a kitten isn't as easy as dumping it on the side of the road. You'll need to nurse your kitten until it's old enough to find a new place for it. You should also make sure your kitten gets adequate care and affection in its new home.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Taking Care of Kittens
Step 1. Make sure the kitten is with its mother
If the mother cat has just given birth, she will take care of the kittens. Provide sufficient food and a safe place so that the mother cat can take good care of her kittens. The mother cat will also train her kittens to defecate and socialize. Since the kitten cannot eat solid food yet, the mother cat will nurse it for several weeks. Sometimes, mother cats will abandon their kittens (because they have mastitis, retained placenta, feel depressed, or simply don't want to care for their kittens). Treat the mother cat's medical problems, and take care of the kitten if it is abandoned by the mother.
Even if you don't need to feed the kitten, make sure the litter box is clean. Check where the kitten lives and change its bedding regularly. After 4 weeks of age, kittens are able to defecate in the litter box
Step 2. Take care of an abandoned kitten
If you're taking care of an abandoned kitten, make sure the mother is really not around. Before bringing a kitten in, keep your distance from it and wait for the mother to return. If the mother cat is not visible or the kitten is in danger, wrap the cat in a towel and put it in the cage. Make sure the cage used has good air circulation. Once the kitten is warm again, give her a milk substitute using a pacifier every three hours.
- Do this step for kittens that have been abandoned by their mother, even if the mother cat is nearby.
- You will also have to help the kitten urinate. Clean the kitten's genitals using a damp towel or gauze, then dry.
Step 3. Socialize with the kitten
Mother cat's love can reduce stress levels of her children. If the mother cat is not around or has abandoned her kittens, you will need to take care of and nurture the kittens. This is important to do in the early weeks of a kitten's life. Therefore, leave the kitten to someone who has a nursing mother cat. If you have to socialize with a kitten, start slowly so it doesn't get scared. Little by little, hold the kitten, introduce it to other people, and invite him to play.
When in doubt about getting started, let the kitten get to know you while feeding. By doing this, the kitten will associate a sense of comfort and trust with you
Step 4. Vaccinate the kitten
Kittens can get antibodies from their mother's milk, but they should still be vaccinated after a few weeks. Vaccination of kittens before handing them is a good idea. In addition to ensuring that the kitten gets a new place to live, this is also done to maintain its health. Check out the kitten vaccination schedule below:
- 8 weeks: FVRCP (Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis Calicivirus and Panleukopenia) vaccine, vaccine against heartworm and lice.
- 12 weeks: FVRCP booster, Feline Leukemia Virus (FELV) vaccine
- 16 weeks: FVRCP advocate, FELV advocate, rabies vaccine.
- Remember, the procedure for administering the vaccine will differ depending on the brand of vaccine used.
Step 5. Castrate the kitten
Before being handed over, kittens should be neutered first. This is done to increase the kitten's chances of finding a new home. If you are handing over the kitten to a friend or relative, discuss beforehand if they want to cover the cost.
- Make sure the kitten has been weaned or is 2 months old before neutering.
- In some areas, there are clinics that specialize in affordable animal castration. Ask your vet for a recommendation for the nearest gelling clinic or search on the internet.
Step 6. Wait until the kitten is 8 weeks old
Allowing the kitten to stay with its mother long enough will help a lot. The mother cat will take care of her kittens, train them to hunt, and help them socialize.
- The laws governing the sale of kittens will vary depending on where you live. Generally, kittens can be sold after weaning or at 8 weeks of age.
- If you are caring for a kitten alone (without a mother), wait until the kitten is 8 weeks old before handing it over. This is done to ensure the kitten gets adequate medical care and can socialize well.
Part 2 of 2: Finding a Good New Home for Kittens
Step 1. Create a kitten resume
It is important for potential adopters to know your kitten's history. If you have multiple kittens, attach a photo of each cat along with a description of their personality. Provide potential adopters with a kitten information file. Include the information below:
- Date of birth
- Medical history, including vaccines and immunizations
- History of surgery, including castration
- List of skills, whether the kitten is trained or not
Step 2. Find potential kitten adopters
Offer the kitten to a friend or relative. It will be easier to hand over the cat to someone you know and trust. You can also ask your veterinarian for help in recommending potential adopters for a kitten.
Before advertising a kitten, try asking people around you. While social media is a good place to advertise for kittens, it can be difficult to find trustworthy potential adopters on social media
Step 3. Interview potential adopters
If the potential adopter is not your friend or relative, interview that person. Invite potential adopters to meet and ask for references about the person. The goal of interviewing a potential adopter is to make sure that he or she is trustworthy, can take good care of the kitten, and is willing to care for the kitten for the long term. Below is a list of questions that can be asked:
- How much budget can you set aside to care for a kitten?
- Are you taking the kitten to the vet?
- Do you have any other pets? If so, how long have you been keeping it?
- Do you have children?
- If you live in an apartment, are you allowed to have pets?
- As an adult, do cats have access to leave the house? If so, is there a fenced yard in your home?
Step 4. Charge a small fee
While giving away a kitten for free sounds a lot more practical, we recommend charging around IDR 300,000 to IDR 700,000 to adopt your kitten. This is done to prevent irresponsible people from taking the kittens to be tortured or handed over to the laboratory. These costs can also save you from people who are not serious about adopting a kitten.
These fees can be used to pay for the kitten's medical care (such as immunizations and neutering). You can also hand over a kitten for free to an honest and trustworthy potential adopter
Step 5. Contact an animal rescue organization
If you can't find a trusted potential adopter, turn the kitten over to an animal rescue organization. Animal shelters, animal protection organizations, or animal rescue organizations may be good places for your kitten. Remember, you may have to pay a fee or the selected organization will not accept kittens.
Before handing over a kitten, make sure the animal shelter you choose doesn't kill animals. Some shelters euthanize animals when they are too full
Tips
Install the microchip on the kitten. This will help the owner to locate the missing kitten
Warning
- Keep an eye out for diseases that commonly affect newborn kittens. Give your kitten medical care if he is aloof, not feeding, seems restless, or is constantly whining.
- Newborn kittens need cat milk or a milk substitute. Give the kitten cow's milk in an emergency. If you don't have a milk substitute, talk to your vet to find out how to give your kitten a mixture of cow's milk and egg yolk.
