Newborn Kittens How To Care For Them

Part 1of 3 feeding 1.

Newborn kittens how to care for them. Orphaned neonatal kittens require around the clock care so you ll want to establish a routine of care every 2 4 hours the younger they are the more frequent the intervals between feedings it s normal for the kittens to sleep just make sure they are in a safe and confined space. Like a human baby a newborn kitten will need to be fed frequently approximately every two to three hours. During this time kittens should nurse about every one to two hours from their mother according to the american society for the prevention of cruelty to animals. Chilling is one of the most critical dangers to newborn kittens.

Newborn kittens need to feed every two to three hours. Use a large enough box to comfortably hold the mother cat and her kittens. If any kittens do not receive the first milk contact your vet. The mother s milk is all a kitten needs to survive during this time.

On the first week of the newborn kittens life they should be fed every two to three hours. Socializing the kittens to ready them to be pets requires some assistance from you. So a kitten weighing 3 ounces will need about 24 ounces of milk replacement every 24 hours. Start handling the kittens when they are 2 weeks old.

As a general rule kittens should be fed 8 milliliters of formula milk for every ounce of body weight in a day. For instance a kitten weighing 4 ounces should not consume more than 32 milliliters of formula in a day. The care that you give some newborn kittens will depend on a few things. Flea and worming treatments may be recommended for kittens as young as two days old depending on the risk to the kittens and any treatment the queen had during pregnancy.

Vaccinations the protection provided by the queen s colostrum fades when the kittens are eight to nine weeks old leaving them vulnerable to disease. It is essential that kittens receive colostrum to protect them against disease. Provide a safe warm environment for her. Put food and water near the nest plus a litter box so she doesn t have to leave the kittens for long.

As a rule of thumb for every ounce of kitten body weight he or she needs 8 ccs of formula. Provide food for the mother cat. Continue to handle and play with the kittens through the seventh week. Kittens suckling well from their queen will sleep between feeds and do not need additional nutrition until three to four weeks of age.

Get help from your veterinarian or local animal shelter. The mother cat is best placed to care for her newborn kittens. Make sure you and other family members handle the kittens gently. But if your kitten is separated from her mother you ll need an alternative milk source kitten formula.