Cat - caring for your kitten

 While most cat mothers will do all that is necessary to raise their litters, it's a good idea to be prepared in the event of a problem.

Newborn kitten care

If the mother has died, rejected her young or cannot produce milk, its up to you to make sure that the litter receives adequate nutrition. If you have newborn kittens to fed, try to find a new mother cat with a small litter. She may accept one or two orphan babies as her own.

If you cannot find a foster mother, you can bottle-feed the babies with a milk replacer. Kittens need to eat every two hours, so consult your veterinarian for the exact amount to feed.

It is also imperative that you keep the young ones warm. A hot water bottle wrapped in a towel works well.

It is also important that you regularly handle the newborns. This will help socialize them. If it's at all possible, PetDoc recommends keeping the litter together until they are at least 8 weeks old for cats.

Older Kitten Care

At three weeks of age, kittens are ready to explore their environments. They can be introduced to kitten food, in small amounts, 4-6 times a day. At four weeks the young ones can be taught to use a litter box. Place the kittens in the box after each feeding. You can cut down one side of the box so it is easier for the kittens to enter and exit. As they reach 6 to 8 weeks old, increase the amount of solid food, and offer it 3-4 times daily, while gradually decreasing their access to milk. By the time they are 10-12 weeks old, the kittens should be fully weaned.