Newborn Kittens How To Care For Them

This will continue until they gradually transition to solid foods when they are around four weeks old weaning.

Newborn kittens how to care for them. Stack clean towels to line it. Newborn kittens get cold very easily. If you have recently taken in some newborn kittens you will have your work cut out for you. For more on kitten care read kitten care stages.

Gently place the bottle nipple in the kitten s mouth and the newborn kitten should begin to eat. Look at the kittens soon after birth look at the kittens. Chilling is one of the most critical dangers to newborn kittens. Use a large enough box to comfortably hold the mother cat and her kittens.

Line the box with layers of newspapers and place the box in a warm dimly lit quiet place such as a closet or a corner where there isn t much activity. The first milk produced called colostrum is rich in antibodies and will help protect kittens against diseases. To feed a kitten place the kitten belly down on a towel on your lap. A kitten with a low body temperature is in danger feeding that kitten can actually be dangerous.

These antibodies last for six weeks or more. On the first week of the newborn kittens life they should be fed every two to three hours. The mother might use the box to give birth but she might choose her own place. If you are using a brand new bottle cut a small hole in the nipple using small and sharp scissors.

You will want to make sure he or she is stable first and given a once over by a doctor. Provide blankets a heat lamp or a heating pad to ensure the kittens stay warm. Newborn to 72 weeks. Caring for newborn kittens is hard work.

A two week old kitten can be fed every four to six hours. Newborn kittens should get all of their nutrition from their mother. Be sure the kitten is warm before beginning to feed him or her. Your primary concern in caring for your newborn kitten is temperature regulation.

If the kitten doesn t eat check to make sure the bottle s nipple is not clogged. At about three to four weeks old they can be offered milk replacer from a bowl and then small amounts of moistened kitten food four to six times a. If the mother cat is still in the picture she can provide most of the kittens needs herself. Newborn kittens may nurse about every 1 2 hours.