Caring for newborn kittens who have been orphaned can be very rewarding, but it is also very challenging. Humans cannot fully replace the role of the mother cat and caring and feeding them is a full-time task. Unfortunately, sometimes a mother cat is unable to look after the kittens and at other times she refuses them; in these cases it is necessary for a person to take care of it. Before attempting to breed them, however, contact the veterinarian or the local animal rights association that manages, specifically, these felines to look for an adoptive cat that can breastfeed them; some cats accept this role, feed and wash orphaned kittens. This is the best thing you can do to ensure their survival. If that's not possible, you need to create a suitable environment to raise them, learn how to feed them properly and care for puppies that are less than three weeks old.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Creating an Environment Suitable for Growth
Step 1. Learn how to handle kittens
Make sure you always wash your hands before and after picking up puppies, as these pets could carry disease or be susceptible to germs and bacteria on your hands. Be gentle when holding them. Make sure they're warm by checking the temperature of their pads under their paws. If they are cold, the puppies may start crying.
If you have other pets in the house, be sure to keep them away from the puppies for at least 2 weeks. Don't let them share the same litter box, food, or water bowl, otherwise they could spread disease
Step 2. Keep them warm
Newborn puppies (less than 2 weeks old) are unable to regulate their body temperature and are generally warmed by their mom's cuddles. But, as this is not possible in this case, you need to get a puppy-specific electric warmer. Place the kittens next to the heat source, but make sure they don't come into direct contact with the warmer if it doesn't have a protective cover. in this case, wrap it yourself in a cloth or towel.
- Puppies should never be exposed directly to a heat source, as they could burn some parts of their body or overheat too much.
- You can also use a hot water bottle wrapped in a cloth, but check it often to make sure it doesn't get cold (around 37.5 ° C).
Step 3. Set up a soft bed for sleeping
Place a box or cat carrier in a quiet, secluded area of the house. The place you choose should be warm, drafty, and away from other pets. Place a towel or cloth on the bottom of the container to make it cozy for the puppies so they can rest. You should also cover the box or carrier with another sheet to maintain a comfortable temperature inside.
Be sure to cover the air holes in the box or pet carrier to avoid the risk of suffocation
Step 4. Keep the kittens all together
Avoid taking a single container or carrier for each puppy, but place them all together in the same soft bed. This way they can also stay warmer and more comfortable. Make sure they have enough room to move freely.
Check that they are able to move away from the electric heater if they are too hot
Part 2 of 3: Feeding the Pups
Step 1. Purchase powdered cat milk
You can get a powdered substitute for breast milk at your vet's office, at major pet stores, or even on the internet. These are similar to powdered milk for human use, but with the same composition as mother cat's milk. Do not feed the puppies with cow's milk, as the sugar or lactose present can create digestive problems for the puppies.
If you don't currently have a milk replacement product and the puppies are hungry, give them boiled, but pre-cooled water. Use a dropper or syringe until you can go to the vet clinic or store. Water keeps them at least hydrated and does not cause stomach problems
Step 2. Prepare to feed the kittens
Sterilize the bottle and teat in boiling water, then let them cool completely on a clean cloth. Mix the milk powder with a small whisk to remove the lumps and make it homogeneous. Heat it to 35 - 37.5 ° C before giving it to puppies. To make sure the temperature is right, drop a few drops of milk on your wrist to make sure it's not too hot.
Always check that the kittens are warm before feeding them. You should never feed them if they have a body temperature below 35 ° C, as this could lead to aspiration pneumonia, which would prevent proper breathing and could even cause puppies to die
Step 3. Position the puppies and bottle correctly
Never hold them in your arms like babies to feed them, but leave them with their paws on the ground and their heads upright just as if they were sucking milk from their mom. Hold them by the scruff of the neck and place the teat on the side, in the center of their mouth. The puppies will turn their heads to find a comfortable position. Let them manage the sucking from the bottle; do not splash or force milk into their mouth.
- Don't forget to let them digest after the feed is complete. Burp them like you would for babies. Place the kitten on your chest, lap or shoulder and tap its back with two fingers until it burps.
- If a puppy has trouble drinking from the teat, hold his head and make sure he doesn't move it. Try feeding it again and just spray a few drops of milk - it should now stick to the bottle again.
Step 4. Feed the puppies often
You can understand that they are hungry because they cry and squirm as they move in search of a nipple. During the first two weeks of life they have to eat every 2 or 3 hours, day and night. It is best to use a bottle designed specifically for kittens. Follow the instructions on the milk powder package to find out the exact amount to give at each meal. When the kitten is full, it usually falls asleep during the feed and you should see its rounded belly.
- In an emergency, use a dropper or small syringe to instill the milk into the puppy's mouth.
- Once you reach two weeks of age, you should extend the feeding times every 3 to 4 hours, with an interval of 6 hours during the night.
Part 3 of 3: Caring for Puppies
Step 1. Help the kittens excrete feces and urine
Generally it is the mother who licks their genitals after each feeding, in order to facilitate the passage of stool and urine. In the case of orphaned kittens, however, you have to rub their bottom with a cotton ball moistened with warm water before and after each meal. This stimulates the puppy to defecate and urinate, as he is unable to do this on his own until he is a few weeks old. Place the kitten on a clean blanket and lay him on his side. Use a damp cotton swab and rub his genitals in one direction only; not back and forth, as you may be irritating him - at this point you should notice that he starts urinating and defecating. Keep scrubbing it until it stops passing stool and is completely done freeing your bladder and bowel.
Puppy urine typically does not smell and should be a pale yellow color. Stool should have a yellowish / brown appearance; However, if they are white or green, or the urine is dark in color and smells bad, the kittens are dehydrated or require medical attention
Step 2. Clean the kittens
Once they have been fed and helped with toileting, you need to wash them. Take a warm, damp cloth and scrub their fur in short strokes. When finished, make sure to dry them thoroughly with a cloth and return them to their soft, warm bed.
If you notice that some dried faeces are stuck on your cat's fur, gently dip his bottom in a bowl of warm water. at that point, using great caution, you can remove the softened stools with a cloth
Step 3. Check the weight of the puppies
Kittens should consistently gain weight during the first few months. Make sure you always weigh each kitten at the same time of day and write the values down on a table. A week after birth, puppies should typically double in weight and after this period they should gain around 15 grams per day. If you notice that they are no longer gaining weight or losing it, it means there is a health problem and you need to take them to the vet.
For example, kittens at birth weigh around 90 - 110 grams. When they are 2 weeks old they should weigh around 200 grams, while at 3 weeks they should reach around 280 grams
Step 4. Know when to take them to the vet
It is good to take them as soon as possible, so that the doctor can check their hydration status, if they have a worm or parasite infestation and check their general health status. Some vets, at times, do not charge any fees from people who are caring for abandoned kittens. You also need to know when to seek medical attention. Take them to the vet if you notice:
- A temperature that is too high or low (over 39 ° C or below 37 ° C);
- Loss of appetite (if a puppy does not eat for a full day, they need immediate care because this is an emergency situation)
- Vomiting (requires immediate medical attention if constant)
- Weight loss;
- Coughing, sneezing, discharge from the eyes or nose
- Diarrhea (if it is constant you must take it to the vet right away);
- Loss of energy;
- Bleeding of any kind (requires immediate medical attention);
- Difficulty in breathing (requires urgent intervention);
- Any type of trauma, such as a car accident, a fall, if it has been stepped on, loses consciousness (all symptoms that require immediate medical attention).
Advice
- Some cities have excellent spaying or neutering programs for stray cats.
- Catteries are often ideal places to ask for cheap veterinary advice and care; usually in these places the staff will help you find a home for the puppies once they are old enough. Some volunteers even decide to keep the kittens themselves until they are adopted.
- A newborn kitten should be with its mum. Wild puppies should stay with their mother until the age of 4 weeks if possible. Make sure the kitten is not an orphan or abandoned before you think about raising it yourself. Sometimes the mother is simply hiding not far away. When they are abandoned, puppies are usually dirty and cry constantly from cold and hunger.
- If you come across a litter of orphaned cats, if you can't offer them all the care they need or you don't know anyone who can help you take care of them, then get all the animals to a cattery or animal welfare organization as soon as possible.. These organizations will know how to care for and manage cats if you can't.
- If you're only caring for one puppy, you can place a stuffed animal next to him to cuddle him, keep him warm and remind him of his mom and other puppies in the litter.
