RAISING ORPHAN KITTENS
When orphaned or rescued kittens are without their natural mother, the next best thing for them is to find another female cat who is nursing her own litter and is willing to accept the newcomers. Of course, this is not always possible, and when that is the case, YOU must become the mother. Your ultimate goal is to make sure that the kitten or kittens grow into a strong, healthy, loving adult cat. It will take a great deal of your time and attention to reach this goal; however, your dedication will be rewarded with one of the most enriching experiences
You will need to focus on three main areas when raising your kittens. You'll want to create a warm, dry, clean and safe environment for them; you will need to feed them the most healthful nutrition you possibly can in the right amounts, and at the right times for their optimal growth and development; and, you will need to provide close attention to all the factors that contribute to giving your kittens the proper overall care. Kittens need love, and a LOT of it!! Without their mother, they look to you for that love, as well as for guidance.
You will need to be sure you have the right supplies on hand. You'll need to have (or make) an incubator (or a nesting box); and you will also need a heating pad; room thermometer; sterile cotton balls and gauze; nurser kits with bottles, nipples, and cleaning brush; Pedialyte unflavored liquid; high quality Kitten Milk Replacer formula (while the powder is more economical, we only use and recommend the liquid form in the cans); and, in case you need to do tube feeding, you will need several syringes (usually 3cc, 5cc, 12cc and 20cc), and your tube feeder, which can be purchased through veterinary clinics or supply houses. Many breeders recommend the butterfly needle infusion sets as the tube is very pliable, and soft. The 0.6mm (outer) diameter tube is most popular, and the rubber catheters you will need can be found at most major drugstores. You will need a #5 French catheter for kittens up to 2 weeks old, and you can use a #8 French for older kittens.
An incubator can be purchased from veterinary supply companies and is especially important if the kitten is extremely small, not completely developed, in distress, or if you cannot consistently control the environment and temperature in the area. A nesting box, which is usually sufficient with the addition of a heating pad, needs to be a safe, clean, warm, dry place for kittens to get the tremendous amount of sleep they need to grow and develop in the critical first few weeks. The nest box does not have to be elaborate, and using a cardboard box works just fine!! Warmth is going to be especially vital in the first two weeks of a kitten's life, as they are not able to shiver, and you cannot tell when they are cold. When using the heating pad, be sure to keep it on the lowest setting, and wrap it well with towels and waterproof pads. Set the heating pad BELOW the box itself, to one side or corner under the nest box, so that the kittens can move to a cooler area inside their box if it becomes too warm for them.
You will want the nest box to be in a quiet, private, draft-free location, with the sides of the box high enough to keep the kittens in, and the overall box size large enough to allow for some exercise. Be sure that the kittens can not get stuck under some pads in the sides or corners of the box, or that they cannot climb under the layers of towels and get directly on to the heating pad (which is why we recommend placing the pad itself under, not in, the box). Some breeders recommend placing an open container of water near the box (not IN the box!!) to allow some moisture in the air. The ideal air temperature for young kittens from birth to 7 days old is 88° to 92°F; from 8 days to 14 days old is 80° to 85°F; from 15 days to 28 days old is 80°F; from 29 days to 35 days old is 75°F, and from 35 days on (approximately 5 weeks old on) is 70°F.
You will need to focus on three main areas when raising your kittens. You'll want to create a warm, dry, clean and safe environment for them; you will need to feed them the most healthful nutrition you possibly can in the right amounts, and at the right times for their optimal growth and development; and, you will need to provide close attention to all the factors that contribute to giving your kittens the proper overall care. Kittens need love, and a LOT of it!! Without their mother, they look to you for that love, as well as for guidance.
You will need to be sure you have the right supplies on hand. You'll need to have (or make) an incubator (or a nesting box); and you will also need a heating pad; room thermometer; sterile cotton balls and gauze; nurser kits with bottles, nipples, and cleaning brush; Pedialyte unflavored liquid; high quality Kitten Milk Replacer formula (while the powder is more economical, we only use and recommend the liquid form in the cans); and, in case you need to do tube feeding, you will need several syringes (usually 3cc, 5cc, 12cc and 20cc), and your tube feeder, which can be purchased through veterinary clinics or supply houses. Many breeders recommend the butterfly needle infusion sets as the tube is very pliable, and soft. The 0.6mm (outer) diameter tube is most popular, and the rubber catheters you will need can be found at most major drugstores. You will need a #5 French catheter for kittens up to 2 weeks old, and you can use a #8 French for older kittens.
An incubator can be purchased from veterinary supply companies and is especially important if the kitten is extremely small, not completely developed, in distress, or if you cannot consistently control the environment and temperature in the area. A nesting box, which is usually sufficient with the addition of a heating pad, needs to be a safe, clean, warm, dry place for kittens to get the tremendous amount of sleep they need to grow and develop in the critical first few weeks. The nest box does not have to be elaborate, and using a cardboard box works just fine!! Warmth is going to be especially vital in the first two weeks of a kitten's life, as they are not able to shiver, and you cannot tell when they are cold. When using the heating pad, be sure to keep it on the lowest setting, and wrap it well with towels and waterproof pads. Set the heating pad BELOW the box itself, to one side or corner under the nest box, so that the kittens can move to a cooler area inside their box if it becomes too warm for them.
You will want the nest box to be in a quiet, private, draft-free location, with the sides of the box high enough to keep the kittens in, and the overall box size large enough to allow for some exercise. Be sure that the kittens can not get stuck under some pads in the sides or corners of the box, or that they cannot climb under the layers of towels and get directly on to the heating pad (which is why we recommend placing the pad itself under, not in, the box). Some breeders recommend placing an open container of water near the box (not IN the box!!) to allow some moisture in the air. The ideal air temperature for young kittens from birth to 7 days old is 88° to 92°F; from 8 days to 14 days old is 80° to 85°F; from 15 days to 28 days old is 80°F; from 29 days to 35 days old is 75°F, and from 35 days on (approximately 5 weeks old on) is 70°F.
HOW TO FEED
Bottle feeding a kitten requires special nursers designed for hand-feeding kittens. Gently insert the nipple into the mouth of the kitten - preferably while it is resting on its stomach -- then slowly pull up and forward on the bottle so that the kitten will have its head slightly elevated and extended while nursing. Be sure that the kitten is actually suckling by checking the level of formula in the nurser bottle.
How much to actually bottle feed the kittens? It;s actually better to under-feed rather than over-feed a kitten in the first few days. A bottle-fed kitten will usually stop nursing when it is full. If, however, you notice milk coming out of its nose, the milk is being delivered too fast, which means that the hole in the nipple is too large. (If the kitten continues to bubble its formula out of its nose each feeding, you will want to have a vet check the kitten carefully to be sure the inside palate are of its mouth has fully developed.) You will want to warm the formula before giving it to the kitten, to 99°-101°F (the body temperature of cats), and it is recommended that you do this by putting the sterilized bottle into a warm bowl of water to warm it rather than using the microwave, which can cause "hot spots" in the formula.
We have found it is easier to start young kittens off using a plastic syringe (without the needle of course!) instead of a small bottle; it's easier for us to control the flow of the formula and even be able to give it drop by drop if needed. From the newborn stage until the kittens are about 1 1/2 weeks old, use a 3 cc. syringe, and feed every 2 hours. At 1 1/2 weeks old, they are ready for the 6 cc. syringe size and feeding every 3 hours, and at about 3 weeks old, move them up to a 12 cc. syringe, feeding them at least every 4 hours. An average meal for a 3 week old kitten can vary from a single syringe full (12 fluid cc) to three syringes full (36 fluid cc) for a large and hungry kitten!! We like and use the KMR (Kitten Milk Replacer) formula, available in most large pet and feed supply stores. While the powdered form is more economical, it does not always reconstitute as lump-free as needed to flow through the syringes (best method is to mix a small amount with cold water first, similar to the process of making lump-free gravy, then add the mixture to the rest of the batch). We prefer to use and recommend the LIQUID FORM IN THE CANS. If you shop around, including online, you can find the best price for purchasing the formula.
How much formula to give? Normally, it is recommended that you give 2 tablespoons of liquid formula for every 4 ounces of body weight per day. For very young kittens, you will need to divide their total daily amount into six equal sized feedings, and yes, this does mean during the night, also!! As the kittens grow, the number of feedings and their frequency can be decreased. Also as they grow, they can let you know better when they are actually hungry. Kittens that are not getting enough nourishment may cry continuously, suck on each other or on themselves, and they may have prominent hips or backbones.
Do I need to burp the kitten? After each feeding, you will need to hold the kitten against your shoulder and gently burp it. Another technique is to hold the kitten so it's back is against your chest and gently cuddle it under your neck while rubbing it's tummy. A steady weight gain of about 10 grams (or 1/3 of an ounce) per day is recommended, but do not be surprised if a kitten may stay at the same weight for a day or two, then suddenly the weight gains are seen. After feeding, burping and weighing the kitten, check to see if the bedding in the nest box needs to be changed, and that the temperature is correct. Then, put the kitten back in the box so that it can sleep. A properly fed kitten will sleep through to the next feeding.
How much to actually bottle feed the kittens? It;s actually better to under-feed rather than over-feed a kitten in the first few days. A bottle-fed kitten will usually stop nursing when it is full. If, however, you notice milk coming out of its nose, the milk is being delivered too fast, which means that the hole in the nipple is too large. (If the kitten continues to bubble its formula out of its nose each feeding, you will want to have a vet check the kitten carefully to be sure the inside palate are of its mouth has fully developed.) You will want to warm the formula before giving it to the kitten, to 99°-101°F (the body temperature of cats), and it is recommended that you do this by putting the sterilized bottle into a warm bowl of water to warm it rather than using the microwave, which can cause "hot spots" in the formula.
We have found it is easier to start young kittens off using a plastic syringe (without the needle of course!) instead of a small bottle; it's easier for us to control the flow of the formula and even be able to give it drop by drop if needed. From the newborn stage until the kittens are about 1 1/2 weeks old, use a 3 cc. syringe, and feed every 2 hours. At 1 1/2 weeks old, they are ready for the 6 cc. syringe size and feeding every 3 hours, and at about 3 weeks old, move them up to a 12 cc. syringe, feeding them at least every 4 hours. An average meal for a 3 week old kitten can vary from a single syringe full (12 fluid cc) to three syringes full (36 fluid cc) for a large and hungry kitten!! We like and use the KMR (Kitten Milk Replacer) formula, available in most large pet and feed supply stores. While the powdered form is more economical, it does not always reconstitute as lump-free as needed to flow through the syringes (best method is to mix a small amount with cold water first, similar to the process of making lump-free gravy, then add the mixture to the rest of the batch). We prefer to use and recommend the LIQUID FORM IN THE CANS. If you shop around, including online, you can find the best price for purchasing the formula.
How much formula to give? Normally, it is recommended that you give 2 tablespoons of liquid formula for every 4 ounces of body weight per day. For very young kittens, you will need to divide their total daily amount into six equal sized feedings, and yes, this does mean during the night, also!! As the kittens grow, the number of feedings and their frequency can be decreased. Also as they grow, they can let you know better when they are actually hungry. Kittens that are not getting enough nourishment may cry continuously, suck on each other or on themselves, and they may have prominent hips or backbones.
Do I need to burp the kitten? After each feeding, you will need to hold the kitten against your shoulder and gently burp it. Another technique is to hold the kitten so it's back is against your chest and gently cuddle it under your neck while rubbing it's tummy. A steady weight gain of about 10 grams (or 1/3 of an ounce) per day is recommended, but do not be surprised if a kitten may stay at the same weight for a day or two, then suddenly the weight gains are seen. After feeding, burping and weighing the kitten, check to see if the bedding in the nest box needs to be changed, and that the temperature is correct. Then, put the kitten back in the box so that it can sleep. A properly fed kitten will sleep through to the next feeding.
STIMULATING ELIMINATION
Usually, kittens will have a couple of firm, yellowish stools per day if they are being properly fed; however, they aren't able to go to the bathroom on their own until they are about 4 weeks old and/or start eating solid foods. After each feeding, you will need to gently massage and stimulate the anal and genital area with a sterile cotton ball or piece of very soft gauze dipped in warm water. This will cause the kitten to urinate and have bowel movements, and it is very important that you continue to do this for the kitten until it is definitely using the litterbox on its own, even though many kittens can control their own bowel movements at about 10 days old. The skin area is very delicate and may become raw or sore from your efforts. If this happens, apply a tiny dab of Preparation H ointment to the affected area after each stimulation. Keep in mind that your kitten will probably not have a bowel movement every feeding, and sometimes even skip a day. This should be fine as long as the kitten is growing, eating well, not showing any signs of distress, and urinating.
Young kittens must be diligently protected from disease!! ALWAYS wash your hands before and after handling the kittens, and ALWAYS clean and sterilize your bottles, nipples, brushes, or tube feeders in boiling water after each use. If your kittens did not receive their mother's colostrum (the watery milk the queen produces in the first couple of days after giving birth), your kittens are at an even higher risk as they did not receive the antibodies present in the colostrum. In that case, be sure to also keep them separated from any other animals as an additional precaution.
This information was taken from http://www.hdw-inc.com/tinykitten.htm
Young kittens must be diligently protected from disease!! ALWAYS wash your hands before and after handling the kittens, and ALWAYS clean and sterilize your bottles, nipples, brushes, or tube feeders in boiling water after each use. If your kittens did not receive their mother's colostrum (the watery milk the queen produces in the first couple of days after giving birth), your kittens are at an even higher risk as they did not receive the antibodies present in the colostrum. In that case, be sure to also keep them separated from any other animals as an additional precaution.
This information was taken from http://www.hdw-inc.com/tinykitten.htm