Hi! This is is Lisa, and my "kids" would like me to give you all some
helpful hints
on one of my best talents:
HOW TO HAND-RAISE A KITTEN!
In an ideal situation, the Momma-Cat is around to take care of her
babies; but as Melody & Ambush can tell you, that's not always possible,
and the human [that THEY choose to adopt!] has to report for duty AT ONCE!
As a writer, I really hate the "list" format, but I want this page to be
more of a "quick-reference" for anyone in this situation, because when
you have a helpless (and either abandoned or orphaned) little fur-ball
depending on you, EVERY SECOND COUNTS! And PLEASE remember to wash your
hand every time you handle a newborn kitten.
 What
to expect when your cat is expecting:
Usually, cats know what to do when it's time to give birth; she's spent
the previous few weeks preparing for her big event! She grooms more, she
eats more, she sleeps more, and (as in Stardust's case) she has MAJOR MOOD
SWINGS! But if you've watched her closely, you've probably noticed that
she's picked a quiet, comfortable hiding spot to spend her time in. She's
"nesting", and will, most likely, give birth in this chosen spot. DO NOT
"intrude" on her space, and if possible, try to keep other pets and children
away, too; she will let you know when she wants attention. This is VERY
important because, like humans, she going through alot of changes, and
needs to be as stress free as possible! Her eating habits will also change.
No matter what type of food she ate before, she needs to eat cat food that
is marked "specially balanced for pregnant or nursing cats", because of
her changing nutritional needs for AT LEAST the next 3 months (abolutely
NO table scraps or dairy products!). Her feeding schedule is now determined
by HER! She needs to have constant access to fresh food and water (i.e.
"free choice" feeding). Expecting her to eat when she doesn't want to can
be stressful for her, as well as the fact that she can (again, like humans)
be nauseous alot of the time; Stardust drooled CONSTANTLY! If your cat
displays ANY dangerous behavior or signs if illness during pregnancy, contact
your vet IMEDIATELY!
QUICK REFERENCE INDEX
What
to do if your cat needs help during or after labor:
Mother Nature USUALLY gives animals the instincts needed in order to
deal with the arrival of their off-spring. But there can be circumstances
that would make labor, and even motherhood, very difficult for your cat
to handle. Some of these are:
-
she's very young/this is her first litter
-
she's been previously abused or abandoned
-
she's had a previous litter that either died, or was given away too young
-
she's had any previous (or presesnt) serious medical or emotional problems
Again, if your pregnant cat displays any unusual or harmful behavior, please
contact a veteranarian or rescue organization! In some cases, her pregnancy
can be completely normal, and labor can be a whole different story. When
Melody's mother Susanna, was pregnant, everything was perfectly fine, and
so was the delivery of the first four kittens. But something went wrong
by the time Melody reared her furry head! Susanna started crying, then
went into shock, and went totally limp; unable to push Melody out on her
own, I had to reach in and pull her out. As Susanna regained consciousness,
she immediately cuddled up to her other kittens and nursed them, but she
hissed at Melody, and tried to slap her when I put her near her siblings.
So wrapped Melody in a clean, warm towl and took her to my apartment, where
I called the Humane Society's 24 hour rescue number. I was given two choices:
1) either learn how to "be" a mother cat, or 2) bring her in to be put
to sleep. Obviously, I chose the first option. After cleaning and feeding
Melody (I had named her even before she was born), I stayed with Susanna
until her human got home and could take her to the vet. She made a full
recovery (and was spayed a couple of months later), and took exellent care
of the other kittens.
Signs that your cat might be having trouble during labor are:
-
fast or shallow breathing
-
exessive crying or "yowling"
-
hemmoraging
-
vomiting/diarrhea
-
dialated pupils
-
dis-colored gums or tongue
-
inability to to push the kittens out on her own
-
fever
-
unconcsiousness
-
shock
-
seizure-like symptoms, such as shaking, foaming at the mouth, and stiffness
If your cat or kitten shows ANY of these symptoms, remain calm, and get
professional help right away!
QUICK REFERENCE INDEX
What
to do if the kittens need help immediately after birth:
As I mentioned above, the first thing to do is make sure the kitten
is breathing normally (and checking for any of the symptoms mentioned above)
clean it, make sure it's warm (but not hot!), and feed it (NEVER give a
kitten cow's milk, they can't digest it!). If a veteranarian or 24 hour
help-line is not available, do what you can, and make an appointment with
a veteranarian as soon as possible. It's also a VERY good idea for all
pet owners to know animal CPR & first-aid.
NOTE: A good reference guide to use is Melody's Feline
First-Aid & CPR Page , (if you're a memfur of CLAW,
you can also go there to take a quiz on it!). If you're a human, you can
contact your veteranarian to find out how you can get the training and
certificate.
QUICK REFERENCE INDEX
What
to do if your cat rejects her kittens after giving birth:
Usually, an animal who rejects her offspring, does so because she senses
something is wrong with it, or there could be something wrong with her,
emotionally or physically. In Melody's case, Susanna sensed something was
wrong with her, and refused to take care of her, and on two separate occasions,
tried to kill Melody (she tore my screen out to get to her at one point;
talk about a CAT BURGULAR!). In Ambush's case, his mother's "humans" didn't
want the kittens. They were kept in the back yard, in an upside-down laundry
basket, and she was beaten for trying to save them. I honestly don't know
how all seven of the kittens lived trough it. They were taken in and nursed
by the people I got Ambush from, but their mother ran away, and nobody
was ever able to catch her. So whether your cat rejects her kittens, or
she's unable, for any reason, to take care of them, don't try to force
the issue; it could endanger their lives! All you can do is try to take
care of the kittens and be sympathetic to the mother; remember, it's not
her fault!
QUICK REFERENCE INDEX
What
to do if your cat dies during (or soon after) labor:
Unfortunately, sometimes no matter what we lowly humans do to help,
the cat will still not be able to make it through the strain of labor.
For your own sake, tell yourself that you did all you could for her; and
understand this one thing: she trusted you to take care of her, now she's
counting on you to take care of her kittens; so it's up to you to make
sure that they have the food, shelter, grooming, love, attention, and medical
care that they need to be healthy, happy cats! If your cat dies during
or after labor, the first thing you MUST do is to get the live kittens
away from her! They start nursing immediately after birth, and that's when
their bond starts. This could lead to a depressed, neurotic kitten. Make
sure the kittens are breathing, then get them cleaned off and fed as soon
as you can. The next thing to do is to call your veteranarian or animal
control agency. DO NOT have the her body disposed of right away! It's a
good idea, if you had a seemingly healthy cat, to have an autopsy performed
on her. She could have had something that she passed on to her kittens.
In some cases, if it's caught early enough, there may be a chance to save
the kittens; even if only one of them is sick, some things can easily be
transmitted between them. Take the kittens to a veteranarian to be checked
out as soon as possible.
QUICK REFERENCE INDEX
NOTE: Although there are a few basics you need to know,
the rest of this page is where all the fun (and your hands-on experience)
starts!
How
to clean a newborn kitten:
If your cat is unable to clean the placenta off of the kitten, you'll
need to take care of that as soon as it's born, so it doesn't suffer from
a lack of oxygen. with a clean fingernail, GENTLY peel the placenta away,
starting at the kitten's head, using sterile fingernail scissors to cut
the umbilical cord if it's still attached. If you have one available, use
a baby's bulb-syringe to clear the muccous membranes (inluding ears, nose,
and throat) if needed. Then take a luke-warm, damp cloth and gently clean
the kitten's entire body. Make sure you have a soft, warm towel to wrap
it in; a chill can cause a cold, and a cold can kill a kitten! It's not
a good idea to dry the kitten off with a blow-dryer. If the air gets into
the kitten's face, it can take it's breath away, and the direct heat can
easily burn, even through fur. As long as the room is warm and draft-free,
everything should be fine.
QUICK REFERENCE INDEX
How
to keep a newborn kitten warm:
As I mentioned above, if the room is warm and draft-free, the kitten
should be O.K.; but it IS important to make sure that the kitten
is warm and comfortable at all times. This is usually done by snuggling
with its mother and litter-mates. When that's not an option, something
needs to take it's place. Most people use a heating pad; if you do, you
must continually monitor the heat setting (it should be on LOW!), and give
the kitten enough room to get away from it every few minutes. Since Melody
was my only cat at the time, and I was at home all the time, I used my
own body warmth, and we bundled in a blanket together! If you put the kitten's
bed/basket near a heater, make sure that there is no way for the kitten
to be burned by it!
QUICK REFERENCE INDEX
How
to feed a newborn kitten:
Kittens usually start nursing right after birth, so as soon as you
get it cleaned off and checked over, it's feeding time! Remember that kittens
have very small stomaches, and are weak. Keeping in mind that milk and
dairy products are bad for a kitten's system, contact a veteranarian or
pet store for a replacemnet formula, such as KMR. But whichever formula
you choose, make sure you follow the instructions (or the veteranarian's
instructions) exactly! Basically, when you're dealing with a kitten, it's
a "feed on demand" schedule; they can't handle large amounts at a time,
so they'll need to eat often. Melody liked her formula at room tempurature;
if it was warm, she would get nauseous, and if it was cold, she would just
give me "the look", and refuse to take it. If you're dealing with a newborn
kitten, you might need to use an eye-dropper; with a slightly older kitten,
special baby animal nursing bottles are available at most pet stores.
Hold the kitten on your lap on a clean, warm towel. If the kitten is
old enough to stand on all fours, this is a good feeding position; if not,
hold the kitten up-right, tilting the bottle slightly, so the nipple can
be easily grasped by the kitten's mouth. Ambush was a month old when he
adopted me(!), so he was taking a bottle part of the time, but he was also
curious about his big sisters' feeding dishes! In some cases, a kitten
will refuse to eat, and a veteranarian should ALWAYS be consulted if this
is the case! It would be incorrect to assume that you just have a finicky
kitten, without a trained medical opinion. If your veteranarian advises
force-feeding, make sure you get the proper training from them before attempting
it! At about the age of 6-8 weeks, the kitten should be ready to start
eating moist kitten food from a dish. This should also be fed often and
in small servings. Every few days, reduce the amount of water you add to
it, so that the kitten is eventually eating dry food. Whenever you change
your cat's diet, remember to do it a little at a time; sudden changes can
upset the cat's stomach, as well as be a little confusing to them.
QUICK REFERENCE INDEX
How
to litter-box train a kitten:
When a cat teaches her kitten to use a littler-box, she usually does
it by licking its bottom; fortunately for us humans, this is NOT required
when hand-raising a kitten!
But in order to raise a normal kitten, if there is such a creature,
we should try to stick as close to the cat's natural instincts and habits
as possible. If you put a kitten in a litter box, some will know exactly
what it's for, and others will need help. A good way to teach a kitten
what the litter-box is for, is to gently wipe the kitten's bottom with
a warm, damp wash cloth, to similate the feel of it's mother's tongue.
You should probably do this near, or in, the litter-box, because if the
method works, you don't want it working all over you!
QUICK REFERENCE INDEX
When
to take a kitten to the vet for the first time:
All through this page, I've said forewards, backwards, and sideways:
kittens need regular veteranarian care, especially if it's being raised
by a human! If the kitten is abandoned or orphaned, it needs to be examined
as early as possible, for the sake of the kitten, any other pets you may
have, and for your peace of mind; many feline diseases can be fatal, and
it's best to know if the kitten is sick, before setting out to make it
a permanent part of your family! Most kittens are born with worms, and
should be de-wormed early, as well as getting a complete blood panel. Before
you know it, it'll be time for the first "baby shot", usually around 6
weeks of age. Roxxi was [obviously] not checked out when she was a kitten,
and as a result, her worm and flea infestations caused permanant skin and
stomach problems. If you notice even as much as a sniffle from your kitten,
please contact a veteranarian right away! Another point that I cannot stress
enough is the importance of spaying or neutering your kitten, around the
age of 6 months. This will not only prevent more potentially unwanted,
abused animals in the world, but can also reduce some medical risks, even
some types of cancer, later. Spaying or neutering your cat will also help
them live longer in the respect that it keeps them from wandering out into
the great outdoors, where they can meet diseases, dogs, fights, cars, and
strangers. All four of my cats are spayed or neutered, strictly indoors,
and purrrfectly happy that way (although Ambush was a little bewildered
about having a few missing parts when he got out of the hospital)! And
who knows what would have become of Stardust and her kittens if I hadn't
been adopted by them when I was!
QUICK REFERENCE INDEX
How
to nurture a kitten:
Well if you've made it this far, you've already figured out the most
important steps of taking care of an abandoned or orphaned kitten, or any
pet for that matter:
1) love
2) patience
3) love
4) instinct
5) love
6) attention
7 through 1,000,000) LOVE!!!
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