As with any new pet, newborn kitten care starts soon after birth. You should take them to the veterinarian to get an official checkup and begin a weight chart. Handling them should be done when the mother is calm and relaxed. If she is hiding or avoiding handling, this may indicate that she is concerned about the kittens’ safety and needs special attention. Here are some tips for newborn kitten care:
Keep the kitten warm by keeping a warm water bottle near the mother’s body temperature. Newborn kittens are still quite helpless and need your attention, but they’ll soon become energetic bundles of energy. To keep them warm, try putting a hot water bottle nearby and snuggling with them. Keep in mind that most newborn kittens will stay by their mother for the first few weeks, where they’ll be feeding on her milk.
Try to find a foster mother who has ample milk for nursing. Alternatively, you can also buy a bottle of goat’s milk from a grocery store. Feed the kitten once or twice a day, dividing the amount into 3-5 feedings. Make sure to provide the right amount of milk, and follow the instructions on the bottle label. You can also visit a professional cat shelter to receive more information and assistance. These facilities have experienced staff who can help you.
The mother cat is an excellent source of knowledge on how to care for a newborn kitten. She will also be able to help you identify any abnormalities. If you notice any of these changes, you should visit a veterinarian. Even if the kitten is not crying, it is probably too weak to move. If your new kitten is not able to move around or is unable to urinate on its own, it’s time to take the cat to the vet for a checkup.
During this time, a newborn kitten should be weighed every day. Once they have weaned from their mother, you should provide them with a high protein and energy-dense diet. As they begin to develop their motor skills and coordination, they will become a force to be reckoned with. Make sure to supervise your new kitten and avoid any unsafe situations. When weighing the kitten, you should also take note of whether it’s growing or not.
It’s important to check the temperature of the kitten constantly. A 25-watt light bulb should provide enough heat for an average-sized kitten. If you can’t find an appropriate light source, a heating pad or heating disc can be a safer option. If you’d like to keep the temperature of your kitten constant, you can place a heating pad on the floor in the room where the kitten will remain, away from other pets. Be sure to check on the kitten every few hours during the day to keep it comfortable. If your kitten starts to feel cold, warm up immediately.
In addition to feeding your kitten the right food, you should provide your new friend with proper newborn kitten care. Taking care of a newborn kitten can be a challenging experience, but the rewards will make it all worthwhile. You should consider stock photography sites like Getty Images Plus and FatCamera for high-quality pictures. When buying photographs of newborn kittens, remember to check the source of the photos. You can also use online galleries or your local library of stock photos.
If your kitten does not sleep for at least 90% of the time, you should contact a veterinarian. You may need to intervene if the mother is not feeding her kittens properly. Common kitten health problems include diarrhea, worms, and upper respiratory infections. In some cases, these problems can be exacerbated by human intervention. However, most kittens grow up with little or no help from a mother, so it’s important to be there for your kitten.
You can also bottle feed your kitten to get the nutrients it needs. While human milk is best for nursing newborns, you can also try goat’s milk or cow’s milk for a short-term substitute. If you do not find a suitable substitute, you can purchase a kitten milk replacer at a pet store, online, or even Walmart. For the first two weeks, you should avoid handling your new kitten and let it nurse its mother. You should avoid introducing the kitten to unfamiliar noises or people right away, so that it will feel secure during all interactions.
A healthy newborn kitten may survive up to 12 hours without nursing, but it is better to warm them before feeding them. Orphan kittens, on the other hand, can be raised with no assistance from their mother. If you find one, you can try bottle feeding it with a commercial cat milk replacer. Initially, orphan kittens need to be fed every two hours. In about a week, you can reduce feeding time to four hours.