Raising Orphaned Kittens
| Jessica; volunteer at the Sterile Feral feeding 3 week old kittens with a dropper |
A kitten may need hand raising because the mother has died, become ill, rejected the kittens or
taming.
Kittens should not be taken from the mother before 5 to 6 weeks of age if possible. (For wild
kittens you may want to take them away from the mother at 4 weeks to tame them. As they get
older, taming gets progressively harder.) The longer the mother cat is able to feed the kittens
the better since young kittens need mother's milk for best nutrition as well as important
antibodies. This passive immunity usually lasts until the kittens are 6-14 weeks of age. Since
orphans have no such protection, they are especially vulnerable to disease.
First try finding a foster feline mother; breeders, veterinarians and animal shelters may know of
nursing cats in your area. Try calling any "cat people" that you know for leads as well. Cats will very
often feed kittens other than their own.
If you must feed them yourself before weaning age, you must devote considerable energy and
weeks of constant care if the kitten is to have a good chance at survival. The younger the kitten,
the more fragile it is. Very young kittens may not survive without a mother no matter how good
the care.
WARMTH AND FIRST AID
As soon as you find an orphaned kitten it must be protected from becoming chilled. Place it under
your clothes next to your skin. Most of the young kitten's energy is needed for growth and yelling
for more food, so there's not a lot left over for heat generation. Normally the mother cat and
litter mates would provide a good deal of warmth. During their first week, kittens should be kept
between 88 and 92 degrees F. For the next 2 weeks they still need temperatures of 80 degrees
or so. When they reach 5 weeks or so they can tolerate a lower room temperature.
If possible, take the kitten to a veterinarian to be checked out for dehydration and general
condition. Kittens can become dehydrated very quickly without a mom and may need fluids under
the skin. Kittens that are dehydrated from lack of fluids or diarrhea will have very little energy
or appetite, so this is important to take care of immediately. Stools should be checked for worms
and parasites. The vet can supply a lot of advice on hand raising kittens as well as needed supplies
so don't skip this step.
When you get the kitten home you must continue to provide warmth. Find a place in your home that
is warm, draft-free and isolated.
Feeding can be done with an eyedropper or a nursing bottle (available at the vet). If using the
eyedropper be careful not to force feed the kitten. Let the baby suck the fluid at its own pace,
otherwise you can fill the baby's lungs with milk and cause pneumonia.
If the baby is old enough to suckle, the bottle method is best. One company even makes a special
kitten nurser which is designed to keep air bubbles out of the baby's tummy. The company is Catac
($15 to Kitte Res-Q, Dept. C, P.O. Box 723, Santa Paula, Ca 93061).
All utensils should be sterilized before each feeding.
taming.
Kittens should not be taken from the mother before 5 to 6 weeks of age if possible. (For wild
kittens you may want to take them away from the mother at 4 weeks to tame them. As they get
older, taming gets progressively harder.) The longer the mother cat is able to feed the kittens
the better since young kittens need mother's milk for best nutrition as well as important
antibodies. This passive immunity usually lasts until the kittens are 6-14 weeks of age. Since
orphans have no such protection, they are especially vulnerable to disease.
First try finding a foster feline mother; breeders, veterinarians and animal shelters may know of
nursing cats in your area. Try calling any "cat people" that you know for leads as well. Cats will very
often feed kittens other than their own.
If you must feed them yourself before weaning age, you must devote considerable energy and
weeks of constant care if the kitten is to have a good chance at survival. The younger the kitten,
the more fragile it is. Very young kittens may not survive without a mother no matter how good
the care.
WARMTH AND FIRST AID
As soon as you find an orphaned kitten it must be protected from becoming chilled. Place it under
your clothes next to your skin. Most of the young kitten's energy is needed for growth and yelling
for more food, so there's not a lot left over for heat generation. Normally the mother cat and
litter mates would provide a good deal of warmth. During their first week, kittens should be kept
between 88 and 92 degrees F. For the next 2 weeks they still need temperatures of 80 degrees
or so. When they reach 5 weeks or so they can tolerate a lower room temperature.
If possible, take the kitten to a veterinarian to be checked out for dehydration and general
condition. Kittens can become dehydrated very quickly without a mom and may need fluids under
the skin. Kittens that are dehydrated from lack of fluids or diarrhea will have very little energy
or appetite, so this is important to take care of immediately. Stools should be checked for worms
and parasites. The vet can supply a lot of advice on hand raising kittens as well as needed supplies
so don't skip this step.
When you get the kitten home you must continue to provide warmth. Find a place in your home that
is warm, draft-free and isolated.
Feeding can be done with an eyedropper or a nursing bottle (available at the vet). If using the
eyedropper be careful not to force feed the kitten. Let the baby suck the fluid at its own pace,
otherwise you can fill the baby's lungs with milk and cause pneumonia.
If the baby is old enough to suckle, the bottle method is best. One company even makes a special
kitten nurser which is designed to keep air bubbles out of the baby's tummy. The company is Catac
($15 to Kitte Res-Q, Dept. C, P.O. Box 723, Santa Paula, Ca 93061).
All utensils should be sterilized before each feeding.
