Do you know how to take care of a newborn cat safely and healthy? How to take care of a newborn cat is not like other ways of taking care of a cat, you will have to pay a lot of attention, just like taking care of a newborn baby. Please refer to how to take care of a newborn cat through the article below.
Why are newborn kittens prone to mass death?
Taking care of a newborn kitten is not simple because newborn kittens are very fragile and can die suddenly due to:
- Due to erratic weather.
– Because the kitten has a different blood type with the mother cat.
– Because the mother cat does not know how to take care of the baby, pressing on the baby, there is a problem with the mother's milk
– Due to the unsafe environment, the virus and bacteria have not been completely eliminated
There are many reasons why newborn kittens die. Therefore, if your cat breed, you need to have a more special newborn kitten care regimen. It is best to leave the litter of the newborn cat in a separate area, avoid contact with strangers or other animals because this can also cause the mother cat to be sober and kill her own babies.
How to take care of newborn kittens under 1 month old
The best way to take care of a newborn cat is to exclusively breastfeed the kittens with mother's milk, absolutely do not give the newborn kittens cow's milk. The reason is that the kitten's body lacks the enzyme that breaks down lactose in milk. Giving a kitten cow's milk can lead to colic, diarrhea, and death in the kittens. If the mother cat has no milk or has lost her mother, it is best to give the kittens a formula specifically made for newborn cats.
When taking care of newborn kittens, the mother's colostrum drops within 24 hours after birth are extremely meaningful. Colostrum helps provide necessary antibodies for kittens, helping kittens have resistance in the first weeks of life.
However, from birth to the first 10-12 days, kittens have not opened their eyes, nor can their ears hear. The mother cat will practice the reflex "finding the breast" for her baby by licking the abdomen, then collecting her kittens into her milky breast row. If the "clumsy" mother cat cannot do this, the owner needs to support the mother cat to take care of the newborn kittens.
Regarding hygiene for kittens, the mother cat will lick to stimulate the kitten's urinary and anal openings so that the kittens can go to the toilet and wipe clean. At this stage, it is likely that the cat has diarrhea from eating the feces and urine of the kitten. So when feeding your cat, you need to prepare food that is easy to digest and reduce fat.
In the beginning, the mother cat should be left to take care of the kittens by herself, with as little human impact as possible. Do not allow children or strangers to touch or play with the kittens for the first 3 weeks because at this time the mother cat is very sensitive to strangers and can bite the kitten to death if "associated".
Due to instinct, the mother cat often steals and hides her baby, hiding somewhere. Biting the baby's neck can easily hurt, or cause the kitten to suffocate due to choking. If you want to check the health of the kitten, you should only look, check by observing the eyes, mouth, and nose for cleanliness, nasal discharge and wheezing. Do not touch the kitten to avoid "astral".
Nutritional issues when taking care of newborn cats
When taking care of a newborn cat, the most necessary source of nutrition is the mother's milk. However, if the mother cat lacks milk, you can use infant formula to give the kittens enough nutrients to grow.
When the kittens are a little older, you can use a mixture of 180ml of full fat milk + 2 egg yolks + ½ teaspoon of vegetable oil plus 1 drop of Children's Vitamin to make a special milk for cats. It is best to use goat's milk instead of cow's milk and need to warm the milk before giving it to the kittens so that the cat does not get cold.
Housing issues when taking care of newborn cats
Newborn cat accommodation needs attention to hygiene, it is best to prepare before the cat gives birth. Newborn cat litter needs to be placed in a dry, ventilated, warm enough and discreet place. A cardboard box can be covered with a thin cloth to help keep the kitten warm from catching a cold.
Kittens will usually sleep a lot. Therefore, unless the mother cat is feeding, you should not wake them. The resistance of kittens is still very weak, so you need to be careful about nutrition and litter hygiene.
The temperature of the litter box is also very important because changes in the weather can affect both the mother and the kittens. It is best to control the temperature and humidity in the room, to avoid heat shock or cold.
Normally, the mother cat will clean up for the kittens herself. However, you also need to pay attention to cleaning the cat's nest, avoiding bacteria and parasites that attack newborn kittens. It is better to disinfect the surroundings regularly.
Newborn kitten development stages and neonatal cat vaccinations
1. Developmental stages of newborn cats
Kittens after 2 weeks of birth will begin to open their eyes and teeth. After 3 weeks, you can eat solid food but still need to breastfeed. After 6 weeks, you can wean and eat solid foods, but if you can drink milk, it is still better. How to take care of a newborn kitten that is 1-2 months old is still the same as taking care of a kitten under 1 month. However, in this passage, the kittens are better able to separate from their mother and eat solids.
2. Vaccination and deworming for newborn cats
One of the best ways to care for cats from birth to 2 months old is to deworm and vaccinate the cat so that the cat is not susceptible to disease. Prevention also helps kittens have better resistance and the ability to "protect themselves" from environmental factors.
When taking care of a newborn cat or a new kitten coming home, you need to help the kitten create a nest and take care of the kitten more. After a while, the kitten will get used to you and become more friendly.
Here is some information about How to take care of a newborn cat that we want to share with you. Wish you have healthy, lovely kittens. If you need to know more about other ways to take care of kittens, contact http://vanchuyenchomeo.com/ for advice.
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