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Orphaned Kittens
The following are options you may choose to pursue WITH a veterinarians
input only. We advise caring for kittens you find only with the best of
professional care. The following options are only a guide.:
1. Nursing mom: Kittens under 5-6 weeks should not be put on a nursing
mom unless both moms have been tested for FeLV & FIV. Kittens can pass
diseases to the nursing mom and the nursing mom can pass diseases to the
kittens.
2. Original mom is best: A mom cat will still produce milk to feed her
kittens after being spayed. Mom's milk is the best for the kittens. They
get immunities from mom's milk.
3. Bottle feeding: When bottle-feeding kittens, use a different bottle
for each litter if you have more than one litter. Also, change your
clothes to prevent upper respiratory infections (URIs) and other
diseases from passing from litter to litter.
4. Supplementing a litter of 6 kittens or more with a mom: If you have a
mom with a litter of 6 or more kittens, watch them carefully around 3-4
weeks of age. Mom may not have enough milk for the entire litter and all
the kittens will suffer. You may need to supplement the feedings with
KMR (or equivalent)
Aging the Kittens:
1. Umbilical cord attached: They are 3 days or younger.
2. Eyes: They begin to open at 7-8 days and all eyes should be open by
day 10. Their eyes generally change from blue to blue/gray then
yellow/green between 6 1/2 to 7 weeks of age but can vary
kitten-to-kitten and litter-to-litter. In one litter, kittens can be
conceived 4-5 days apart. This also contributes to the different days
the eyes open.
3. Ears: Their ears stand up at 3-1/2 weeks of age.
4. Teeth: Another way to age the kittens is by the teeth. The following
is from the Cornell Book of Cats. The ages are when the teeth break the
skin or 'eruption of the teeth' happens, or when they break the surface.
Baby teeth:
Center (4) Incisors (front teeth between the canines) 2-3 weeks
Outer Incisors (still between the canines) 3-4 weeks
Canines 3-4 weeks
Upper molars (called a premolar) 2 months (8 weeks)
Lower molars (called a premolar) 4-5 weeks
Adult teeth:
Center (4) Incisors (front teeth between the canines) 3-1/2 to 4 months
(14-16 weeks)
Outer Incisors (still beaten the canines) 4 to 4-1/2 months (16-18
weeks)
Canines 5 months
Upper molars (called a premolar) 4-1/2 to 6 months (depending on tooth)
Lower molars (called a premolar) 5-6 months for all
Upper molar in back, no baby tooth, just the molar at 4-5 months
5. Mobility: They are unstable on their feet until they are around 4
weeks of age and can run pretty well by 5 weeks. If you see kittens
running around a yard, they are at least 5-6 weeks old.
6. Eating: They generally are eating on their own between 5 and 6 weeks
of age. Some will eat as young as 4 weeks and some will take as long as
8 weeks to stop the bottle if you are bottle feeding. The older kittens
who refuse to leave the bottle are generally needing the one-on-one
affection they are receiving.
Care: 911:
1. If you find a chilled kitten: If you find a chilled kitten, warm it
up before trying to feed the kitten. Hold the kitten close to you to get
warmth into the body. Give it warmed sugar water in the mouth. You can
also rub Karo Syrup on the gums. The syrup will inter the body quickly
through the gums. Also, if the kitten is dehydrated, give it lactated
ringers (fluids) via sub-Q (can be done by a vet).
2. If you find an over warmed kitten: If you find an over warmed kitten,
cool it down before trying to feed the kitten. Put in cool water to
lower the body temperature. Administer room temperature water into the
mouth. Then, give the kitten room-temperature sugar water or Karo Syrup
and lactated ringers (fluids) sub-Q as listed in #1.
3. If a kitten doesn't eat on his own after Karo Syrup: A kitten who is
still doesn't eat may need a dose of antibiotics. They often get an
imbalance in their intestines and need to correct the bacteria. They
should eat within 12 hours of the first dose. Continue through the
entire dose of drugs.
Care: non food related:
1. Very young need attention: If the kitten(s) do not have their eyes
open, they are young and they should be held a minimum of three hours
per day. Transfer what we know about monkeys in a cage without TLC, and
you'll understand why the kittens need to be held. Without this
affection, young kittens will often die. Hold them SEVERAL HOURS A DAY
and you should have success with the kitten.
2. Clear Urine: Urine should be clear, not with mucous, blood or yellow.
If there is blood or mucous, see a vet immediately. If the urine is
yellow, the kitten is probably dehydrated. You may want to have lactated
ringers (fluids) administered by sub-Q .
3. Bathroom stimulation: Stimulation is required for the release of both
stool & pee until 3-4 weeks of age. use rough material, not cotton, to
resemble mom's tongue. Use a warmed, wet wash cloth or a rough paper
towel. Make sure the towel is wet. Slowly massage the genitals until the
kitten has peed and pooped. The stool should be softly formed, not
runny. If the stool is runny, it is likely you are overfeeding the
kitten or it has a parasite. It is better to feed more often and give
less food each time than to overfeed a kitten. Potty them before and
after each feeding.
4. Keep warm and away from drafts: Young kittens do not keep a steady
body heat. Keep out of drafts. Also, heating pads are essential if the
weather is under 75 degrees. Put the pad on low and cover with a towel.
The kitten will move off the pad when warm enough, so allow enough room
in their 'area' for them to move off the pad.
5. Sucking on each other: If the kittens suck on each others genitals,
separate them immediately. This can be painful to the kittens and can
cause sores as well as protruded genitals (which will calm down when
separated) Once they stop sucking, you can put the kittens back
together. This can take several days.
6. Litter box usage: When starting to use a litter box, if the kittens
poop outside the box, pick it up and place it into the box for training.
Most kittens train themselves with a litter box with a little nudge from
us. If you have the kittens in a large area, you may wish to provide
more than one box so 'accidents' don't happen.
7. Type of litter: Do not use clumping litter with kittens under 4
months. Litter can get into the eyes and cause infections. Kittens also
tend to eat the litter when young. You may wish to start out with a
small container for the litter box with sides that are only 2 inches
high. I use drawer dividers that are 6" x 9" x 2" high from Rubbermaid.
8. Keeping the kittens clean: While you are feeding the kittens, they
will get food all over them, especially while you are weaning them. You
need to clean them regularly to keep the food off them. They have
sensitive skin and can get red, irritated skin if you leave KMR on their
skin. A damp washcloth usually cleans them. You don't want them to get
too wet and therefore get cold.
9. Parasites: Remove all fleas. I use a citrus based shampoo that
doesn't kill the fleas, but slows them down. This also takes the dirt
off them. A metal flea comb works great, too. Fleas can cause anemia in
a kitten which can kill the kittens. Intestinal parasites can also kill
the kitten. if you suspect parasites, take the kitten to a vet for
de-worming and stool check. Drontal is a fairly new de-wormer that will
kill both tapeworm and roundworm. It can be used on fairly young
kittens.
Note: All kittens should be treated at sometime for roundworms, since
95% will have roundworms from their moms. It should be routine with your
vet to de-worm for roundworms.
Care: food related:
1. Feeding all kittens: Food should be warmed to room temperature prior
to feeding any kitten under 4 months of age. This includes mother's milk
replacement. You should only put as much milk in the bottle that will be
used at this feeding. After the feeding is over, throw out all remaining
milk and clean the bottle and nipple. Re-using milk can cause bacteria
in the kittens stomachs, which can make them stop eating. If kittens DO
get a bacteria in the stomach (and stop eating), a dose of amoxicillian
should fight the bacteria within 12 hours. Use the entire dose of the
drug.
2. How much to feed and how often: 8cc per ounce of weight per day, do
not overfeed. Feedings should be every 3-4 hours when the kittens are
young and should be round the clock. The stool should be soft formed,
not runny. If the stool is runny, it is likely you are overfeeding the
kitten or it has a parasite. It is better to feed more often and give
less food each time than to overfeed a kitten.
3. Position to feed from a bottle: Kittens should eat on it's stomach,
in the position one would feed a horse, lamb or cow. Do not put them on
their backs and feed like a human baby. This can lead to the formula
going into the air pipes which can cause pneumonia and can kill them.
4. How the kittens should suck the bottle: Kitten should suck the
bottle, not be forced down the throat. If the kitten is sucking, the
ears move and the mouth creates a suction around the bottle. This
prevents the food from going down the air pipes which can cause
pneumonia. If the milk comes out of the mouth or nose, the hole is too
big and you need to replace the nipple with one with a smaller opening.
5. Weaning kittens: Weaning kittens can be frustrating, especially if
they don't want to give up the bottle and the special attention you are
giving them. Start by mixing baby food (meats like chicken or turkey) or
wet food mixed with KMR. You can also puree dry food in a blender and
add with KMR.
6. Water dishes: Kittens should start drinking water on their own at 4-5
weeks of age. Don't get frustrated when they are only playing or walking
in it. One day, you will see them drinking.
What to feed:
Goats milk or KMR should be used on young kittens. Regular milk (whole,
low-fat and non-fat) is not recommended. There are some home made
remedies which work, too.
Goats milk: Most grocery stores carry goats milk, and it is available in
condensed form to keep in the cupboard.
KMR: Available from a pet store, your vet or a feed store.
KMR is available in both mixed and dry version. The dry is more
economical. There is a trick to mixing the water. Get a small container
with a secure lid. Add some KMR powder and then add 1/10 the amount of
total water needed. Shake until mixed. You should have a thick, smooth
liquid. Dilute the liquid with the remaining 9/10 of the water.
Notes: I, personally, don't believe in tube-feeding. A healthy cat will
eat. A cat that needs to be forced may need a 12-24 hours of anti-biotics
to 'kick in' the stomach. A kitten that has gone a long time without
food may have it's stomach shut down. This will result in the milk
curdling inside the kitten if the stomach is not functioning. This will
kill the kitten. The best thing to do is to give the kitten warmed sugar
water or rub Karo Syrup on the gums. Warmed sugar water is water that is
saturated with regular white table sugar. Warm up a bit of water and add
as much sugar that will be absorbed by the water. Karo Syrup on the gums
will be absorbed into the system through the gums. Karo Syrup is easier
to digest and is the best for the kitten, but if you are in a jam and
don't have Karo Syrup, use regular white sugar.
Single kitten syndrome:
Single kittens tend to be biters. This can be helped by putting in a
stuffed toy for the kitten to snuggle up to. You may also wish to find
another single kitten to merge with this kitten. It is a health risk to
merge them together for either kitten, but it can be really hard to
break the habit of biting with a young kitten.
Why some kittens are abandoned:
Abandonment at birth: Moms tends to leave some kittens behind at birth
if she feels she can not care for, protect or have enough milk for the
entire litter. This is usually done within the first 24 hours.
Abandonment after the first week: If the mom has kicked just one out of
the litter, there is probably something congenitally wrong with him/her
and you will probably loose the kitten. Mom cats can sense if there is
something wrong with a kitten.
Caught while moving them: If the mom is in the middle of moving her
litter when you find 1-2 kittens, you have a choice. You can let her
come back and retrieve her kitten or you can take it/them and care for
them until they are adopted. Unlike other creatures (like birds) cats
will take their young back after being touched by a human.
Why some kittens die:
Some kittens die for no apparent reason. Any kitten you bring in may die
despite your efforts. This is a sad fact of rescue. |
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