There are many things you should know when caring for a newborn kitten, especially if they don't have a mother. Today, our Statesboro vets discuss how to care for a baby kitten without a mother, what can go wrong, and when you should take them to the vet for the first time.
How to Care For a Baby Kitten
Kittens are adorable and lovable house pets, but they have very specific needs that must be met. These requirements differ for each stage of their lives, and if something goes wrong or is overlooked, it can have an impact on their overall health and longevity. This section discusses how to care for your new furry friend during their kitten years.
Caring for a Newborn Kitten
When a kitten is between 0 and 4 weeks old, it is considered a newborn because it is still learning how to meow, walk, and even regulate its body temperature. If they have a mother, she will be able to do the majority of the work, including feeding. All you have to do is ensure the mother's health and that they are in a warm and safe environment. Make sure the floor of their crate/area is blanketed and they have a warm bed to sleep on. If the kitten does not have a mother, the first thing you should do is take them to a veterinarian. Your veterinarian will be able to determine the kitten's health and inform you of their needs.
Keep Your Newborn Kitten Warm
If the kitten does not have a mother, you will need to do more to keep them warm, such as placing a heating disk in the crate or a heating pad on low heat beneath a blanket in their cage. You should also make a small nest of blankets for the kitten to sleep in. It is critical that you check the temperature of the heating pad with your hands and provide a comfortable place in your kitten's cage/crate that does not have a heating item for them to go if they become too warm.
You should continue to provide a heating source for your kitten until they are about 6 weeks old because if they get too cold, they will catch hypothermia; therefore, their area should be kept at 85oF or 29oC.
Feeding Your Newborn Kitten
Another thing you'll have to do for a newborn kitten who doesn't have a mother is feed and nourish them. Every 2-4 hours, you will need to bottle feed your kitten a special kitten formula. Because each kitten is unique, your veterinarian will be able to advise you on the best formula to use, how much to feed them, and how frequently you should feed them. Kittens must gain approximately 12 ounces (14 grams) per day or 4 ounces (113 grams) per week in order to grow healthily. Never give your cat cow milk, and always make sure they are fed the same formula. In addition, your cat will need to be kept warm in order to digest food properly.
How To Care For a 6-Week-Old Kitten Without a Mother
When the kitten is 5/6 to 10 weeks old, they should gradually stop being bottle fed or fed by their mothers and begin eating high protein meals 3 to 4 times per day. Begin by pouring the formula into a food bowl and possibly adding a bit of softened hard food or canned soft food to help them along. Because their motor skills are improving, they will become more adventurous, and you will need to keep a close eye on them to ensure they don't get themselves into trouble. As they are between 2 and 4 months old, they will require a lot of supervision and hands-on bonding playtime.
Your kitten will start entering their adolescent days when they are 4 - 6 months old. This is when they are generally very troublesome and might require some behavioral modification, this is also when you should start considering having them spayed or neutered before they reach the 6 - 8 month mark.
Preventive Care For Your Kitten
No matter how old your kitten is, you should take them to the vet during the first week they are in your care. Your veterinarian will examine your kitten and advise you on their dietary requirements. This also gives you the opportunity to ask any questions you may have about your new family member's care.
Making sure your kitten gets routine preventive care is essential, including wellness exams, routine vaccinations, and parasite prevention.
Regular wellness exams give your vet the opportunity to assess the overall health and well-being of your kitten including their dietary requirements. Your vet will also be able to detect any diseases early before they become severe when they are easier and more affordable to treat.
You also need to make sure your kitten gets all of its vaccinations and parasite prevention on schedule. Your kitten should come in for their first round of shots when they are 6 to 8 weeks old, and you should have them spayed or neutered when they are 5 to 6 months old. This prevents any serious diseases or conditions from arising in the first place.
What Can Go Wrong?
There are many things to look out for when caring for a kitten at every stage of its life that could indicate a problem or even a veterinary emergency. If you notice any of the following symptoms in your kitten, contact your veterinarian right away to schedule an appointment.
Here is what you need to keep an eye out for in a newborn kitten:
- Delays or difficulties in motor skills or coordination
- Lethargy
- Refusing food (especially if being bottle-fed)
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
When your kitten is 4 weeks old or older you still need to keep an eye out for the signs above in addition to these behavioral signs:
- Litter box usage/ not using the litter box
- Signs of play biting or aggression
- Fears and other concerning behaviors that should be managed when they are still young
