04/12/2021
WHAT DO I DO IF I FIND KITTENS?
If you find kittens, DO NOT TOUCH THEM. By touching them, you are asking their mother to move them to a more secure location and will most likely not be able to find them again. Their mother may be out eating or looking for a place to move them. Keep an eye on them from a distance, watch for their mother. Even if it is one kitten, she may be in the process of moving them.
All kittens up to 4 weeks old (preferrably 5) should remain with their mother. The mothers nutrients are essential in making healthy kittens/cats.
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Realize that you're facing an important decision, caring for a feral kitten takes time and patience. Some kittens may need medical intervention, or may be too young to be removed from their mother's care.
Do you have the time to take care of and socialize a kitten? Caring for a feral kitten requires multiple hours a day of one-on-one attention for weeks or sometimes even months.
Do you have the proper connections and network to find the kitten a new home? Are you willing or able to keep it?
How old is this kitten? Alley Cat Allies recommends that feral kittens older than 4 months of age be allowed to stay with their colony, and need not be taken in and socialized, instead, kittens older than 4 months should be neutered, vaccinated and then returned to their outdoor homes.
Under one week: (3-8 oz) Eyes are shut, ears folded down and kittens are unable to walk. They can purr and make tiny noises. The umbilical cord may still be visible.
One-two weeks: (8-11 oz) Eyes start to open (they are blue) and focus. Ears begin to open and movement is improved to crawling, snuggling and kneading.
Three-weeks: (7.5-14.5 oz) Eyes fully open and ears open and standing up. The kitten will start to respond to noises and movement. The first wobbly steps are taken and baby teeth start to come in.
Four-five weeks: (8-16.75 oz) Running, playing, digging and pouncing occur often. Kittens will start to wean and will be able to lap up formula, eat soft food and use the litter box by themselves. Eyes have fully changed from blue to their adult color.
Eight weeks: (2 lbs) kittens look like little versions of full-grown cats.
Also, please see attachment linked to this post.
If you find yourself unable to care for the kittens, you can contact local shelters for help.
For more specific age details, please visit www.alleycat.org/kittenprogression.
AFTER AGE DETERMINATION AND COMMITMENT READY . . .
If the kittens are under 4 weeks of age, they will need to be bottle-fed. 4 weeks and older can be offered soft food, but may need to be bottle-fed.
If the kitten is cold, warm her slowly by holding her against your bare skin, which will allow her to absorb your body's heat (if you are outside, your armpit makes a great incubator). Cold is the greatest danger to kittens. DO NOT submerge the kitten in water or use any method that will warm her temperature too quickly. Because she is not able to generate her own heat, wrapping the kitten in a blanket or towel is not sufficient. The kitten must get her heat from you. DO NOT feed a cold kitten. Wait until her body temperature is approximately 90+ degrees Fahrenheit.
KITTEN BOX . . .
Put a heating pad in a large box. It must be large enough to accommodate the heating pad and an area that is not covered by the heating pad. Kittens will crawl toward the heat when they are cold and away from the heat if they are getting too warm. If they do not have an area where they can get away from the heat, they can become dehydrated and die. Turn the heating pad to LOW and cover it with a towel. Never let the kitten lie directly on the pad. Place the box in a warm and draft-free area.
Do not bathe the kitten unless absolutely necessary. If the kitten appears to need a bath, her body temperate must be normal, 90+ degrees Fahrenheit. Flea combing is best if the kitten has fleas. (If the kitten must be bathed, use small amount of Lemon Joy. The citrus kills fleas and is safe for kittens. Flea shampoos are too harsh for kittens.) After towel drying the kitten as much as possible return the kitten to the heating pad. NEVER use a hair dryer.
FEEDING KITTENS . . .
You can purchase milk for kittens from pet supply stores and from some vet clinics. KMR (Kittens Milk Replace) or Just Born are the best formulas to feed a neonatal kitten. Do not give a kitten cow's milk, except in an emergency. If you cannot obtain KMR immediately, use the following emergency recipe for UP TO 24 HOURS ONLY.
2/3 cup homogenized whole milk
3 raw egg yolks
1 tablespoon corn oil
1 dropper pediatric liquid vitamins
Warm the formula in a nursing bottle or medicine dropper by placing the bottle or dropper into a cup or bowl of hot water. Test the formula on the underside of your wrist to check the temperature. If it feels too warm or too cold on your wrist, it will feel the same for the kitten. If the formula is too hot, wait until the formula cools down. If the formula is too cold, continue soaking the bottle/dropper in hot water. Always be sure to test the formula again before giving it to the kitten.
Place the kitten on her stomach at a 45 degree angle (just as a kitten would nurse from the mother) and let her nurse until she turns her head. Do not hold the kitten's head back and do not hold her on her back as you would a human baby, because the kitten could aspirate formula into her lungs. Avoid getting into the kitten's tummy by holding the bottle at an angle to keep liquid toward the ni**le. Pulling back slightly on the bottle will help trigger the kitten's sucking reflex. Never squeeze the bottle to force milk to come out.
Do not panic if the kitten does not eat the first day. She may be more accustomed to her mothers' milk, which is quite rich, and can sustain her for a longer time than replacement formula. (If she is still not eating after 24 hours, seek veterinary assistance immediately. She may need to be forced fed through a tube. Never attempt tube feeding yourself if you are unfamiliar with this procedure.
As a guideline for "How much and how often", individual kittens may eat more often or less often.
1 and 2 week old kittens = 6 feedings per day
3 weeks = 4 feedings
5 weeks = 3 feedings
The label on the container of kitten formula you purchased should indicate the recommended amount to feed a kitten according to body weight.
If a kitten cries, she is either cold or hungry. A content kitten sleeps quietly.
LEARNING TO EAT ON THEIR OWN . . .
When the kitten is five weeks old, you can begin weaning the kitten with baby food or canned kitten food mixed with KMR. Be sure to read the label on the baby food to select a brand that does not have any onion in it, as it is known to cause anemia in kittens.
FEEDING FOLLOW-UP (Critical) . . .
After the kitten's stomach is full, it is necessary to stimulate her to help her eliminate. A kittens does not have the ability to do this themselves until they are three weeks old. The mother cat would usually wash the kitten with her tongue to stimulate elimination.
Take a wet lukewarm, but not hot, washcloth or paper towel and gently massaging the a**l region in a small circular or back-and-forth motion. You want to hold the kitten over a towel or sink while stimulating her.
