Care and Raising Newborn Kittens

It can be difficult, time-consuming, and both tremendously rewarding and painful to raise newborn kittens. You might hire skilled specialists to handle the task if you lack the time or the emotional fortitude to deal with the possibility of losing kittens. Go ahead, nevertheless, if your hurting heart is up for the task of stray infants. Just make sure you can find a home for them all

Birth or surrogate mother?

The mother cat will take care of raising the kittens if they are stray, and in most situations, she will do a better job than humans who try to intervene and bottle-feed them. The last resort for kittens who aren’t nursing should be bottle feeding. If the mama cat is calm enough to permit it, it is a good idea to arrange a veterinary checkup to ensure that everyone is healthy. Some stray cats feel uncomfortable being handled by people, which can be particularly upsetting for new mothers. It is best to give the mother cat some room so she can feel secure while taking care of her young. The mother cat should have access to  unlimited fresh water and food and give her a safe, quiet space where she can be alone with her kittens. Monitor the kittens to ensure they are all nursing, gaining weight, and staying warm. The rest is up to her.

If you encounter newborn kittens without a mother, or a mother who cannot nurse, you may need to act as the mother and provide the kittens’ basic needs to ensure their survival. This requires round-the-clock care, at first, as if you just brought home a newborn baby.

First Trip to the Vet

Orphaned neonates should be examined by your veterinarian as soon as possible. Stray kittens may not have benefited from the protective antibodies carried on through their mother’s milk, and they may be plagued by fleas and other parasites. Compared to kittens who nurse until they are weaned naturally, orphaned kittens may require some vaccines sooner. Additionally, a veterinarian should be consulted right away if a kitten exhibits any symptoms of illness or discomfort, such as a low body temperature, runny nose, watery eyes, diarrhea, lethargy, or an inability to eat.

Building a Nest 

Next up on your surrogate to-do list is building a nesting box for your kittens. You can use an oversized cat bed with bumper sides or even just a cardboard box lined with clean towels. Either way, make sure your nest has tall enough sides so that the small babies won’t tumble out. This also encourages the litter to stay together to generate warmth.

Since kittens that get cold can decline in health very quickly, make sure that the nest is located in a warm space in your home. For the first few weeks, you may have to provide supplemental heat in the form of a heating pad set on low. Wrap this pad in a thick towel and place it in the bottom of the nest. Make sure the nursery has an unheated section, as well. Instinctively, the kittens will move toward the cooler area if they become too hot.

How to Feed Young Kittens

You will need to bottle feed the entire litter multiple times every day for the first two weeks. Purchase kitten bottles and nipples, as well as formula designed especially for kittens. Feeding by weight should be done as per the guidelines on the kitten formula. Set your alarm for night feedings and enlist a family member to help. Younger and smaller babies may require up to twelve feedings continuously (every two hours).

Bottle feedings can be done in a cozy chair with a warm-towel-wrapped kitten on your lap. Place him on his stomach, then expose the nipple to stimulate sucking. Feed each kitten until they are full and show no further desire.

At around three or four weeks old, the babies are ready to start eating soft food from a dish. Place canned kitten food and formula into your blender and process it until it’s the consistency of a thick liquid. Prime each kitten by putting a bit of the mixture onto your fingertip, and then lead them to the dish.

As the kittens start to enjoy their mush, gradually reduce the amount of formula in the mixture until they are eating soft, canned food as is. At this point, your kittens can also drink water from a bowl. But don’t be surprised if there is a little water play before they decide to drink it.

Taking Care of Newborn Kittens

The mother kitten goes through a variety of motions to safeguard the wellbeing of her young and to foster a sense of family. You are responsible for these duties if you are the boss.

Mother cats bathe their babies’ butts with their tongues to urge them to urinate and poop. By holding each cat (place a towel over your lap first) and gently petting its back end with a warm, wet washcloth or moistened cotton ball, you can stimulate the same elimination pattern. After every meal, you should be rewarded with urine and/or a bowel movement.

The mother cat’s natural bonding behaviors are replicated when you groom and massage your newborn kittens. You can massage your mouth with a soft toothbrush, cloth, or baby brush  kittens down their backs, on their tummies, and to clean any dirt from their bodies. Soft-touch and massage help kittens adapt more easily to your presence and their new home.

Litterbox Instruction

Like ducks to water, kittens soon adapt to the litter box. For training, use a low-sided box; the shoebox lid works great. For inexperienced beginners, a non-clumping, pellet litter works best because the clumping kind can irritate their stomachs if they consume it. Put each kitten in the box within five to ten minutes after eating once they begin to eat on their own.

To explain what the litter is all about, scratch it with your finger. When a few attempts, let them alone after they jump out. Pick up a small piece of feces with a shovel and place it in the box if one has an accident on the floor so that the fragrance may persuade them to use the litter box the next time.