Take care of Kittens - tips

Video: How to CARE for a KITTEN - Food, Education and Health

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Steps
Advice
Warning
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Keeping kittens indoors can be fun, but it's not as simple as feeding and cleaning them up. The way you interact with a kitten as a child develops a level of friendliness as an adult. When raising a newborn kitten, if all goes well, the mother cat will do the hard work. Sadly, surprises can happen unforeseen and you have to raise the kitten yourself, either because the mother cannot care for her baby, or she has abandoned the kitten. This guide will help you understand the growing kitten's needs with regards to health care, feeding, and fitness.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Helping the Mother Cat Gives and Caring for a Newborn Cat (0 to 4 weeks of age)

Prepare a quiet place for the delivery. The mother will choose a place she feels safe to give birth to. Either way, you can find a large cardboard box, flip the other side and line the nest with a heat-retaining, dry material - but don't be disappointed if the mother tries to do otherwise. Its instinct tells him to find a quiet space, such as under a bed, behind a sofa, or inside a kitchen cabinet.
- To learn more about how to help a mother give birth, check out this article.
Do not disturb the mother cat during delivery and the first two days. The first 48 hours are an important time for the mother to bond with the kitten, so don't disturb her. If the mother cat gives birth under the bed, leave it alone. Moving a newborn kitten is stressful for the mother and the worst that can happen is that the mother will abandon her baby. Once the mother has bonded, for about four or five days, if she feels it is necessary to move the kittens, you can do so.
Keep food, water, and toilet soil in the room. The mother will not leave the kitten for too long for the first two weeks after birth. So keep food and water within a reasonable distance and, if possible, provide a litter box in the same room so the mother can stay within the kitten's line of sight and sound.
- If the food is in another room, some mothers will choose not to eat or drink instead of leaving their kittens in search of food.
Give the mother more food. It needs additional energy to secrete milk for the kitten.
Let the mother cat do all the cleaning. Instinct helps the cat to always keep the hygiene in her nest. Newborn kittens cannot clean themselves, so the mother has to lick the kitten's genitals before and after feeding to stimulate the secretion of waste. This keeps the cat's nest clean. You should refrain from disturbing their nest.
- If the nest is dirty, wait until the mother has jumped out to use the bathroom to clean and replace the bedding.
Check if the kitten has breastfed. If the mother cat is there, the kittens will usually suckle right after the mother gives birth to her last baby. Newborn kittens spend all of their time sleeping, waking up and feeding every two to three hours. If the kitten is not feeding, or is being pushed away from the mother by a sibling, you will need to bottle feed her as described in Section 2.
Consider sterilizing the mother cat. Sterilization of cats (hysterectomy) after weaning is recommended by many veterinarians and humanitarian organizations. This helps prevent unwanted childbirth and also has benefits for the health of the sterilized cat.
- Remember that the female cat can become pregnant 3-4 days after giving birth, so keep it indoors to avoid this risk.
Consider deworming kittens. This step can happen as early as two weeks if necessary. Consult with your veterinarian for the appropriate medication and dosage.

Method 2 of 4: Caring for Orphan Kittens (0 to 4 weeks of age)

Give the kitten a milk substitute. Cat milk substitute powders (such as Cimicat) can be purchased at a veterinarian's clinic, major pet store, or on the Internet. Another good quality milk substitute powder is KMR. This is similar to baby formula, with the same ingredients as a mother's milk. Milk replacement powders contain guidelines for how much powdered powder is needed at each meal.
- Do not give cow's milk to your cat because lactose is irritating to the kitten's stomach. If milk replacers are not available and the cat is hungry, you can give them cool boiled water with a dropper or syringe until you go to the vet's office or pet store. This should keep the kitten hydrated and should not upset her stomach.
Use a kitten bottle with a specially designed teat. This can be purchased at a veterinarian's office, a large pet store, or on the Internet. In an emergency, use an eye dropper or small syringe to put the milk replacement powder into the kitten's mouth.
Stimulate your kitten to burp after each meal. Do the same thing for babies: hold the cat up on its shoulder, or put one hand under the belly. Pat and rub their back.
Stimulate the kitten to excrete waste. Before and after each feed, you can wipe the kitten's genitals with a tissue or gauze soaked in warm water. This will stimulate the kitten to go to the toilet, otherwise they will not be able to excrete waste on their own. Keep the kittens within the litter box and rub their genitals and anal area with a towel after each meal. Continue doing this until the kitten has peeed and defecated (when the waste is no longer released).
- Rub in one direction — rubbing back and forth is uncomfortable.
- Cotton should not be used, as this can easily fall off.
Look for healthy waste signs. The urine should be yellow in color and have a slight odor, and the stool should be yellow-brown in color, with a small lump shape. Dark-colored and pungent urine is a sign of dehydration; Green stools can be a sign of overfeeding, while white stools can be a serious malabsorption. Call your vet if you have any concerns.
- If the kitten does not urinate within 12 hours, call your veterinarian right away.
- Most kittens poop once a day, but the schedule can be different for each kitten. Take the kittens to see the vet if they have not pooped for more than two days.
Follow the kitten's meal schedule. During the first two weeks after birth, the kitten eats every 2-3 hours. The kitten will let you know they are hungry by screaming and writhing as if looking for a nipple. Saturated kittens often doze off during their feedings and have a round stomach. After two weeks, you can feed it every 3-4 hours, at a six-hour interval overnight.
Keep the kitten warm with a discreet heating pad. Newborn kittens (under two weeks of age) cannot adjust to their own temperature and will usually stay warm by snuggling against the mother. You can simulate this behavior by keeping them on hot pads designed for puppies or kittens. Avoid placing them in direct contact with the pad: if the kittens come in direct contact with the heating pad, they may experience local burns or heat shock. However, regular gaskets are covered with fleece so that should not be a problem, unless you remove the cover for washing, you can replace it with a towel.
- As kittens get older (more than two weeks old), they may move away from the pads if they feel too hot.
Do not feed cold kittens. If the kitten's body temperature is low, warm her Wait. Kittens are cold if the ears or / and pads of their feet feel cold. Put your index finger in their mouth: if the kittens feel cold, their body temperature too low can be life threatening. You need to slowly warm up by covering the cat's body with a wool blanket and bringing in close contact with your body, rubbing gently with your hands for one to two hours.
Learn more about orphan kittens. You can get started with this article. Contact your veterinarian for more information and some suggestions. Your veterinarian can also provide vaccines to prevent common diseases and deworming kittens.
- Orphan kittens can be dewormed at two weeks of age, and, depending on their situation, can be vaccinated between 2 and 8 weeks of age. Kittens have a weak immune system because, unlike other kittens, they do not receive antibodies from the mother's milk.

Method 3 of 4: Weaning and Adapting Kittens (4-8 weeks old)

Start by offering more kitten food. If the mother cat is nearby, weaning (switching from breast milk to solid food) will occur spontaneously from about four weeks. At this point, the mother gets tired as the kitten chews on its nipples and begins to take time off from them. In turn, a kitten when she feels hungry will eat the outside food and will often discover her mother's food.
- Once the kittens start learning to eat their food, they should be able to start weaning at this point.
Water supply. Kittens do not need to drink water until they start to wean, at about four weeks of age. Any kitten of this age, however, needs to be kept hydrated. Change the water when old water becomes contaminated (as cats often step in and / or poop in the bowl).
Give the kitten food to hand. If you feed the kitten yourself, weaning is the same way. You can pour the milk substitute into a plate and dip your finger in to teach the kitten how to lick first. Then, you can mix the wet food with milk substitute to create a thick mixture for kittens to practice licking food. Once the kitten has mastered, you can mix more to make the mixture thicker until the kitten has completely switched to solid food.
Adapt your kittens by introducing them to something new. Adaptation is very important when a kitten is three to nine weeks old. From three weeks of age onwards, contact the kitten as much as possible every day. Introduce them to various sights and sounds, such as vacuum cleaners, hair dryers, bearded men, kids ... anything you can think of. Around six weeks of age, kittens are often excited about new experiences, and what they encounter now will be easily accepted without any questions like an adult cat, making the kitten happy, enjoying. Good and sociable.
- Use cat toys, balls, ropes, or other objects to play with your kitten, but don't use small objects as they can be swallowed. (Note that kittens and cats may eat strings or threads if left unattended, so only allow this while interacting with you. Otherwise the kitten may choke.)
- Do not train kittens to see human fingers and hands as toys, or they may continue to bite and scratch as adults.
Provide sanitary soil without clumping. Choose where to place the litter box carefully, as once you get used to it the kitten will probably continue to use it. If you are training your cat to poop, simply place it and be there after every meal, or whenever the kitten starts to bend over and scratch the floor in preparation for poop. Clean the litter box at least once a day, otherwise the kitten may stop using it.
- Choose a tray with a low side so the kitten can get in and out easily.
- Avoid letting the litter clump up, as the kittens can eat lumps that can damage their digestive system.
- If the kitten doesn't seem to want to enter the litter box, gently hold its paw and mimic the act of digging. After that, let the cat dig a hole for itself to defecate, and repeat with soil.
Keep the cat indoors until it can control itself. With the vet's permission, let the cat go outside to explore. You need to watch carefully until the kitten knows how to get home.
- Let the cat go outside when it is a little hungry. Make them come back by naming and handing out the food. This will remind the cat that while outside it may be enjoyable, its final destination will always be your home.
Make the kitten responsible. If you sell or give to kittens, you should wait until they are at least eight weeks old, and twelve weeks is ideal. Take them to the vet and get vaccinated before they leave you. Always incorporate follow-up with the new owner to ensure the kitten has the injection and is expected to be sterilized. Swap numbers with the new owner so you can confirm the cat is well cared for, or in case the owner wants to return it (at least you can help the kitten find another owner).

Method 4 of 4: Caring for an Adopted Kittens (8 weeks or older)

Ask the previous cat breeder for a blanket that smells like the mother and her siblings. This smell helps them feel comfortable while in their new home.
Ask about foods the kitten has eaten in the past. Then give them that food for a few days so that it doesn't make a big difference for a while. Once the kitten has settled in your new home, this is your chance to change her food for the kind of your choice and take it slowly: replace a small amount of the old kitten's food with food. new, slowly increase your intake over one week.
- If your kitten is eating a dry pellet, then you should put it in a bowl to feed them all day. If your kitten is eating wet food, you can offer her many small meals six hours apart.
- Continue to offer kittens, not adult cat food until they are one year old.
Water supply. Kittens over four weeks of age need to be hydrated, so be sure to have clean water available.
- Cats tend to drink water are not lying next to their food bowl. Encourage them to drink by placing plenty of water bowls around the house.
Introduce the kitten to the new home slowly. Introducing only one room at first: letting them explore the entire house will be overwhelming on the first day. Prepare a resting place (preferably two sides and a roof so the kitten feels as safe as it is in her nest), place the food and water in the corner of the room, and the litter box on the opposite corner. Show the kitten what it is to drink and where to go to, and then let it rest. This is a big day for small cats, so you need to let them adapt and sleep for a few hours.
Take care of the kitten as much as possible. Spend plenty of time grooming, playing, playing, and interacting with the kitten. This will help them grow up with a sociable, friendly personality.
Make sure your kitten and household items are safe. Keep the power cord and the device out of the reach of the kitten so they won't chew. You can invest in a child lock for a lower wardrobe if the cat is curious.
Plan to see a veterinarian. At nine weeks of age a kitten can get the first shot. This is the ideal time for your veterinarian to check on, remove the worm and start vaccinations. The basic kitten vaccine includes protection against cat flu and intestinal infections. There are also leukemia vaccination options in cats.

Advice

Introduce the kitten to the new home slowly. Kittens under two weeks of age should be kept out of the reach of other pets, except in the presence of a mother cat, and touched only when necessary. Older kittens should stay in the nest and only approach one person at a time, until they are calm and no longer shy away from humans.
When introducing a kitten to another pet, keep it in your arms and someone else holds the other pet. Allow the kitten to smell or lick the kitten, then let the kitten hide if desired.
If you let the kittens go outside, only allow them to reach an area surrounded by high fences, and always supervise them carefully. Learn about the weather, as you won't want your kitten to be wet, cold, or scared.
Use a swinging toy to teach the kitten how to hunt.
Wait until the cat is a little older and you can put the cat to sleep in bed. Kittens may be uncomfortable and want to go back to where they lie.
Kittens are born blind when they are born. Make sure the surroundings are safe so the kitten won't hurt herself by touching sharp objects, or falling out of the nest.
Be careful because kittens can scratch the wallpaper if you use the wallpaper in your home. Allow them to sharpen elsewhere so that they don't damage the wallpaper.
Adopt and create a new activity for your cat once in a while, so they won't get bored doing the same thing every day.
If the cat meows and rubs your body a lot, then it is likely hungry and needs to be fed. It is important that they eat the right meal and enough quality.
Always do everything carefully at first, especially for very young kittens.

Warning

Kittens will play with anything they come across. You need to remove sharp or easily swallowed objects so that the kitten will not be in an accident.
The information contained in this article cannot take the place of your veterinarian's professional advice. When in doubt, call your veterinarian!
If you are allergic to cats, or kittens, don't keep them. Living with a cat can make your allergies worse or lead to asthma.