Abandoned KittensMy friend and I were walking in the local shopping center one day and heard the tiny cries of kittens. We looked around and found a boy with a cardboard box swinging it around. We went over to look and inside were the tiniest little newborn kittens. He said he found them at a construction site and the mother was not there. He was selling them. It was November and it was a bit chilly outside and I feared for the little kittens getting too chilled. We told the boy the kittens needed immediate care or they would die. Well $10.00 and about 5 minutes later I found myself the proud new owner of a litter of abandoned kittens. This isn't the first litter I've raised but it was my first abandoned litter. Actually only one of this litter made it because they had been left alone to long and had become sick. But one did and she still resides with me. Jasmine is 16 years old now. Below is Jasmine then and now. Whether a mother cat is killed or just walks away the abandoned kittens need to be taken care of. Caring for abandoned kittens will take some time and patience. You may not be able to save them all but every time I look at Jasmine it reminds me that at least I was able to make a difference and didn't leave her abandoned.
The First Two Weeks The first thing you need to do is make a home for the new abandoned kittens. A box or carrier lined with towels is sufficient. You also need to make sure the abandoned kittens are kept warm. You can use a warming or heating pad on low with a towel over it to warm the kittens. You must monitor it closely so you do not dehydrate or burn the kittens. Leave some space for the kitten to get off of the pad if it gets to warm. You will need to feed your abandoned kittens so a good kitten formula is necessary. You can make a homemade kitten formula by checking out my Kitten Formula Recipe page or you can purchase a premade kitten formula. You will also need nurser bottles since abandoned kittens do not have a mother to suckle. Nursing comes naturally to kittens. You can get nurser bottle kits from your veterinarian or one of your local pet stores. Newborn kittens nurse around the clock so you will need to feed them regularly. These little babies can only take a little at a time so a few drops is enough. 1 cc is a full meal. Don't give your kittens the formula to fast or to much at a time as you can actually drown the kitten. Most times your kitten will alert you when she has had enough. If you have a mother cat and the kitten just wont nurse, you can try to help the kitten by putting kitty's mouth on mom's nipple to see if she will take to nursing. DO NOT overfeed your kitten. They can get gas, diarrhea or other intestinal problems that can be fatal to a newborn. Feed the kitten every 2-3 hours up to about 2 weeks old then you can scale back to about every 4-6 hours. Since you have abandoned kittens you are now their mother so feed them regularly. You will also need to stimulate your kittens to poop and pee after feedings. Usually mom does this by licking their bellies, butts and genitals. You can emulate this by using a warm damp wash cloth or cotton ball and gently rub these areas like the mother would lick them. This should be done before and after feedings. Kittens should pee after each feeding and poop at least once daily. If your kitten does not urinate or have a bowel movement within 24 hours you need to contact your vet. NOTE: Always wash your hands before and after handling your kittens. This will prevent the spread of germs especially if you have other cats in the home. Make sure you change the bedding daily to keep it fresh and clean. Old towels work best. Keep your new abandoned kittens away from all other pets. Week Three Entering into week three your once abandoned kittens will begin to move around more so keep them in an enclosed area that has a bed, litterbox and an area for them to run around. Once the kittens start climbing you will want to heighten the barriers around the area. Include soft stuffed animals to provide warmth and tactile stimulation especially if you are caring for just one kitten. Introduce your kitten to the litterbox. Start by using a pie pan or shallow dish so your kitten can easily access it. After feeding place the kitten into the pan and let it get used to the feel. You will find the kitten will just play around and do everything but poop but she will soon know exactly what to do. Keep the litter clean your kitten will love you for it. I clean the litter every time they go but only after they leave the litter pan. If your kitten doesn't want to go in the box try wiping her butt (after a poop) with a wet tissue and putting it in the litter. It is stinky and she will naturally want cover it up. Even though they were abandoned kittens they still have their built in feline cleanliness habits. You should bathe your kittens and keep them clean but make sure to dry them thoroughly. Kittens are generally very clean animals so you should only have to clean their faces and butts at this point. Keeping them clean helps prevent skin problems and teaches them grooming skills. If your kitten requires a full bath use a warm wash cloth with a tiny bit of baby shampoo to clean them. Make sure to get all of the shampoo out and dry them real good. Weeks Four - Five Kittens will be all over the place now running, climbing and playing with toys and each other. They should be using the litter box with very few accidents. You can start to wean them now and add some food to their formula. Start with some baby rice cereal added to the formula. Offer from the bottle first. You may have to make the hole in the nipple larger to accommodate the thickness. Try to put some on the tip of your finger and put it up to their mouths to see if they will lick it. Then you can try some in a very shallow dish. If they resist the bowl try to push their heads down into the mixture to get a little on their noses and lips so they lick it off. Once they are used to the cereal mixture add some dry kitten food to the formula. Crush it up good so it will be easy for them to eat. You should also have fresh water available to them always. Weeks Six - Eight Your kittens should be litter trained and weaned. They will be everywhere running, playing, climbing and chasing each other. You will now need to take them to the veterinarian for their distemper and wormings. Get instructions from you vet for what else your kittens need before adopting them out to their new homes. You should care for your kittens about 12 weeks before adopting them out. They need this time with their littermates to acquire their social skills. I'm proud of you! You have turned abandoned kittens into a loving little bunch of adorable kitties just waiting to go to their new home.
Within a few hours of the above feedings your kitten should become warm to the touch and be able to move around a bit more. Continue to give the mixture every few hours for 24 hours. Be sure to keep the kitten warm. Use the heating pad if you need to being sure to keep it on low and place a towel over it. If this doesn't work call your veterinarian.
Hopefully this has helped you in the care of a motherless kitten. Abandoned kittens need immediate care and it is
essential if the kittens are to survive. Although I have tried to put everything I know here you may
be able to obtain more information from your vet. If you find abandoned kittens please rescue them asap
and see your vet for any additional care instructions you may not have found here.
|
