How to take care of 4 day old kitten?

Question

I have a 4 day old kitten. his or her mama died when she was giving birth. I have the KMR from Petsmart. I am using a syringe... what else should i do? I also have a heating pad so he/she dont get cold. What else should i have? there is no females that have kittens near me and i called the shelter all they will do is kill him/her.

What else do i need? I know i need to make him potty each feeding. how much should he or she eat? Any more advice will help.

***please dont just answer for the points, i would like more information. someone who knows what they are doing.***

Answer 1

You need to talk to a Vet and your local ASPCA. They can always advise you better for your specific situation. Plus, they might know of a nursing mother (Cat or Dog) who would be able to feed better than you will be. Especially the ASPCA... they have foster care programs that specialize in just what you are doing.

The Syringe will work fine, but you should really get the baby bottle! It works more like a actual nipple. It is better for the kitten and much easier on you. They have it at PETSMART. I shop at PETSMART and have seen it numerous times.



You should be on a feeding schedule of every two to three hours. Make sure the kitten is warm while feeding. The"potty" part is the most important. With a warm dish towel or paper towel, you need to simulate  the mother's l*****g. Just rub gentle in the areas the Mommy would and nature will do the rest.

Here are some great websites:

http://www.feralcat.com/raising.html

http://www.petplace.com/cats/caring-for-...

http://www.ffgw.org/info/display?PageID=...

http://www.sanjoseanimals.com/feralsOrph...

and also try searching under "Caring for Orphan Kitten".

I have had this happen to me at least twice. My former girl was the best mommy the first two times around. She walked away and never looked back. We survived by finding a good VET through the ASPCA. They could not locate a nursing Mommy, so we did it ourselves. We had four kittens who all survived. The best tip was to "Never leave them alone". Keep an eye on the little thing... just like you would a human child. Try not to panic. And listen to your VET... no matter how crazy the deed might sound.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

Hello,

First and foremost, I want to acknowledge your kindness for taking in the little orphaned kitten. It is a very huge task but at the end, the reward far outweigh the hard work. I am going to address your question thoroughly, even though you have already performed some of the important steps.

Now, you need to set up a comfortable nesting box for the kitten. Find a hard and sturdy card box, lined it with old towels or clothes and shredded newspaper.

Newborn cannot regulate their body heat so it is very important to keep them warm. You can fill a bottle with hot water, wrap a towel around it and place it in the nesting box. Or, you can use some uncooked rice, fill it into a sock, and zap it in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Make sure to check the temperature so it is not too hot and can burn the delicate kittens. Caution must also be use when using a heating pad as indicated. Set  it on low and cover it with a thick towel and make sure the kitten does not lie directly on the pad to prevent overheating.

Feeding wise, purchase kitten replacement formula from any pet store. KMR and Just Born are two brands that are widely available. You will also need a feeding bottle or two. You must not feed a cold kitten! It will kill her. Warm her up first gently, either by using the water bottle wrapped with towel of by gently caressing her by your chest and allow your body heat to warm her up.

You need to feed the kittens around the clock, at 2-3 hours interval. A kitten needs approximately 8 cc’s of formula per ounce of body weight per day. Remember to feed the newborn kitten while they are laying on on their stomach on a hard surface on on your lap. Kittens are not newborn babies and should not be feed like one. Cut the bottle nipple with a sterile blade or scissors. Make sure the hole is big enough so the formula will drip smoothly without applying pressure to the bottle. Also, make sure it's not too hot. You can soak the bottle in warm water for about 10 minutes to make it warm.Test the temperature by dripping the formula on your wrist. When using syringe feeding, you must also do it slowly and control the intake properly.

Go slow when feeding. The kitten will feed on their own space. Make sure the flow of formula is not too fast so the formula doesn't get into their lungs. If you see formula coming out from their nose, hold them upside down by their feet gently.

After each feeding, make sure you place the kitten on your chest or shoulder, belly down, and give them a pat until they burp. This is important so be sure not to skip this step.

Newborn are not able to go pee/p**p without your help. The mother will usually l**k them to make them defecate and urinate. When the mom is not there, it's your job to stimulate their bowel movement. Wet a cotton ball with warm water and gently rub or pat their bottom. You don't need to use too much pressure. Just a light tap or rub will initiate the flow of urine and defecation.

Newborn kitten are fragile so when you pick them up, always be gentle.  Cradle the hind legs with one hand thus supporting his body weight and hold the front of the body under the chest and behind the forelegs with your other hand. This will make him feel secure and comfortable.

Another tip that I can share with you is to place an analog clock which ticks into his nesting box to mimic the mom's heart beat. Make sure you wrap the clock in a towel or place it inside an old sock. This will help calm baby kitten who misses his mom.

To learn more, please visit the links provided:-

http://www.feralcat.com/raising.html

http://www.kittenrescue.org/handbook.htm

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?...

http://petcare.suite101.com/article.cfm/...

http://www.kittens-lair.net/raising-a-ca...

Good Luck and thank you for taking care of the little kitten!

Answer 3

well ive been raising kittens 4 all my life and all i can say is give it all the love u can and dont worry im not saying this 4 points.

Answer 4

I had to hand raise a kitten that my cat rejected. This site was incredible helpful in many ways.

http://www.feralcat.com/raising.html

Answer 5

I think you should take the kitten to the vet to make sure everything is going OK with it. You should get special milk from the vet, one that is specially formulated for kittens, as they soon become lactose intolerant and won't be able to have any milk at all. If you use a heating pad, make sure it is well covered so that the kitten doesn't get burned from it. As for potty time, I don't think it will be able to take care of itself that way until it can see, so until then just keep an eye on when it does a job, and keep it and it's surroundings clean. Once it can see, and is onto more solid food, get a litter box and just put the kitten in it, and show it how to dig. Cats are very self sufficient that way, it will only take a couple of times with you showing it what to do before it takes over and does for itself. Make sure you feed the kitten as often as it needs it, and since it will sleep a lot, keep it in a secure place away from noise and ruckus. It will eventually need a steady source of clean water, but that will be once it is weaned from the milk source and onto solid food. Later it will need a couple of toys too. Thanks for taking care of the little guy, good luck and I hope I have helped you. Give it a little kiss for me.

Answer 6

No heating pad!!!

keep there body an average of 104 degrees, it is very important that you play very close attention to them the very first two weeks, go to the website!

http://www.thelittlecatsrescue.com/uploa...

Answer 7

A dropper is better than a syringe. Also if you can get a baby kitten bottle that will help as it gets older. You need to let the kitten suck or drop it in, DO NOT squeeze it into the mouth, since the kitten can aspirate it (breath it into the lungs) and get Pneumonia. Also the heat pad is OK but always on the lowest setting and turn it off for periods during the day. As long as you have warm material blankets and towels he will stay pretty warm. Keep it dark till the eyes open. The kitten will need to be fed every 2 to 3 hours till its 3 weeks. This is true in the night also. The cat needs to be stimulated to p**p as well as pee. I usually use a soft rag, and hold him under the sink faucet with luke warm water after each feeding. Then dry him thoroughly and rub his tummy for some time to help the gas get through. Bottle fed kittens tend to get very bloated gassy tummies. His face is going to get messy and sticky from the formula be sure to wash it once or twice a day but not more than that, since it will make his lips and nose raw. If you have something that vibrates quietly its nice to place it near a kittens cage so it can imitate a queen purring. It will calm him and keep him happy. Keep in mind that bottle fed kittens can get what is called Failure to Thrive... in my circle we have called it that since there is no known reasons. I have raised over 50 bottle fed kittens successfully but I have lost 18 for no apparent reason. Sometimes the trauma of losing a mom, or not having litter mates, or just in-experienced handling can cause a kitten to not want to live and there is not much you can do. They just simply pass away in the night. Sometimes is just a genetic malformation of some organ, and in my opinion its what causes a mother cat to abandon them in the first place.