How to feed a newborn kitten

Cat adoptive mothers are often difficult to find, and if they can't be found, they need to be artificially fed. Orphan cats are vulnerable, and feeding them takes a lot of effort and requires careful care.

Here are some detailed instructions on how to artificially feed orphan cats:

1. Cat's nest;

Kittens should be kept in a warm, wind-free nest. You can use a cardboard box, sterilized cat cage, laundry basket, etc., with a towel or blanket and need a heat source to keep the kitten warm, as kittens cannot self-regulate their body temperature until they are 4 weeks old. This heat source can be an electric blanket, a thermos, or an electric lamp for heating.

Do not bring the heat source too close to the kitten so that it does not burn them, and the heat source should be in the corner of the cat nest so that the kitten can move to a cooler part of the nest if it is too hot. The temperature in the cat kennel should vary from 32-34 ° C (the hottest place) to 24-27 ° C on the other side. By the time the kitten is 4 weeks old, the outside environment can be kept at around 24°C.

If there are several kittens in a litter, it may not be necessary to make the litter as hot as it would be when there are only one or two kittens, as they can snuggle together to keep warm. The humidity is about 50 to prevent dehydration. If it's too dry, spray a little water outside the kennel or put an air humidifier.

It is best not to expose kittens under 3 weeks of age to direct sunlight.

2. Basic nursing;

If the kitten has received some milk from its mother, it has a higher chance of surviving because it has some immunity from colostrum. If kittens have not eaten colostrum, they are more likely to get sick and die. Hygiene is particularly important.

Hygiene precautions.

1) Do not allow orphan cats to come into contact with other pets (even if they have been vaccinated). Kittens should be quarantined for at least 14 days and tested for no fatal infectious diseases. Orphan cats are likely to carry a variety of germs and parasites.

2) Don't keep several litters of kittens together.

3) Wash and disinfect feeding utensils, cat bed mats and cat towels with boiling water.

4) Wash your hands well with sterilized soap between and after each touch of the kitten.

5) Brewed cat milk should not be stored for more than 24 hours. Prepare the cat milk that is not used for the time being and store it in the refrigerator.

6) Cat milk should not be kept at room temperature for more than 1 hour, and it should not be fed to kittens after exceeding.

7) Heat the amount that should be fed only once, in hot water, preferably without using a microwave oven (if you use a microwave oven, shake the heated milk well for a while to let the hot milk that may be in the milk disperse).

3. Feeding frequency;

0 2 weeks of kittens, 2 3 hours fed once and once in the evening.

2 3-week-old kittens should be fed every 4 hours and do not need to be fed at night, but the interval between feedings should not exceed 6 hours.

4 6-week-old kittens, feed every 6 hours, do not need to feed at night. They can last 8 to 10 hours without feeding, and they should eat some cat food on their own, and you can open ** cat food to them. Feeding kittens regularly can prevent kittens from hypothermia, but if they are fed too often, the milk in the stomach will not be able to empty all the time, which will cause the milk to ferment and cause flatulence, which is also bad.

It is mainly divided into breastfeeding and captivity.

Clause. First, the newly born cat is best to eat breast milk under the care of its mother, breast milk contains maternal antibodies, which can protect the kitten from the external environment.

Clause. Second, if it is a stray cat milk cat, you can give it goat milk, don't give it milk, because many cats are intolerant to lactose in milk.

Clause. 3. You can prepare a warm cat nest for the kitten, the body temperature of the newborn cat is very low, if it is winter, it is best to keep warm with a hot water bottle.

Precautions for newborn kittens

1. The kitten should be kept dry when it is born, the newborn kitten is moist, and the owner should use a towel to dry the hair to avoid catching a cold.

2. Don't play too much, because the kitten's body is very fragile, and one will be injured if you are not careful.

3. Try to feed the newborn kitten the milk of the female cat, if the female cat does not have milk, you can use goat milk powder to feed.

4. If the female cat does not help the kitten to excrete, the cat owner gently wipes the kitten with a warm towel, and needs the cat owner to help the kitten excrete.

5. Provide a quiet environment for kittens and female cats, and do not touch kittens at will.