How to take care of newborn kittens is not simple because newborn kittens are extremely weak, they need to be cared for meticulously and carefully. So what do you need to support for the mother cat to take care of a safe and healthy newborn kitten?
How to take care of a newborn kitten with proper feeding
In fact, the best conditions for kittens are to be close to their mother and be breastfed for up to eight weeks before being separated. If the mother cat still takes good care of the kittens, you just need to give the mother enough food and prepare a suitable place to live.
And if the newborn kitten has lost its mother or the mother cat is clumsy, you need to prepare food for them. For newborn kittens, it is very important to prepare them to eat properly and choose the right foods. The best way is to give them milk through a cylinder or bottle and after a while, switch to extra food.
Guidelines for dosage and frequency of feeding for newborn kittens who have lost their mothers or mother cats without milk:
- 1-3 days old: 2.5ml milk replacer every two hours
- 4-7 days old: 5ml milk replacer 10 to 12 times per day
- 6-10 days old: 5 to 7.5ml milk replacer 10 times a day
- 11-14 days old: 10 to 12.5ml milk replacer every three hours
- 15-21 days old: 10ml eight times per day
- 21 days and older: 7.5 to 25ml, three to four times daily, with extra food.
*Note: You should use specialized milk for newborn kittens, absolutely do not give the kittens cow's milk and human milk because the cat's body cannot absorb these types of milk.
How to take care of a newborn kitten safely and healthy
If the kitten is still a mother, you should avoid contact with the newborn kitten to avoid upsetting the mother and potentially abandoning the kittens. It is recommended to gradually interact with kittens when they are 2-7 weeks old.
If a newborn kitten has lost its mother, be careful in handling them because kittens are very fragile, need to hold and care for newborn kittens very gently to avoid hurting them.
In addition, you also need to prepare a warm and dry place for the kitten to sleep. Their new home may be a paper box or crib lined with towels, with clean blankets for them. Do not place newborn kittens near fire, water, and drafts to avoid illness or injury.
In addition, you also need to pay attention to keeping newborn kittens warm because their bodies are very weak. You can use a heating bag or warm water bottle with a moderate temperature wrapped in a towel to keep them warm.
In addition, don't forget the cuddles and caresses to ensure that the newborn kittens receive enough love and help them feel better. You need to create the best living environment for the kitten to help the kitten quickly adapt and be healthy.
Instructions for training kittens to go to the toilet properly
At infancy, the mother cat will help the kittens defecate by licking the kittens' genitals to help them urinate and defecate. If you are taking care of a newborn kitten without a mother, use a damp gauze pad or a wet washcloth to gently stroke the kitten's genital area to help them defecate. Then dry them and return them to their place.
When the kittens are 4 weeks old, give the kittens a sand bath by placing them in the litter box after feeding them to encourage them to defecate.
If the newborn kitten is unable to urinate or defecate, it may be that the kitten is constipated or has a foreign body that needs to be removed. You need to quickly bring them to the veterinarian to find out the cause and timely treatment.
Here is some information about how to take care of a newborn kitten that we want to share with you. Wish you have healthy and 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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