Fostering Orphaned or Abandoned Kittens: Complete Guide

Raising a newborn or tiny kitten may be just as frustrating as it can be rewarding. Kittens can be verbally as loud as a human infant when hungry or frightened, their outcries can awaken an entire household. Tiny and vulnerable, they are in need of the loving care and warmth that only you can give.

Recognizing the kitten's age is important, as this will help you determine it's needs. Follow this basic age guide which will be followed by formula recipes and step by step directions on feeding, stimulating, and bedding.

* Birth to one week: kitten's eyes are tightly closed, generally three to four inches long, move in a burrowing fashion. Care: Feed every four hours, stimulate before and after feeding.

*One week to two weeks: Three to Five inches long, may begin slightly to fully open eyes from 7-14 days. Ears still folded, still crawling with heads and tummies on ground surface. Keep schedule of feeding often, for example: 6 am, 10 am, 2 PM, 6 PM, and, 10 PM, 2 am, stimulate before and after feeding. At this time you may have to separate the little boys, as often kittens, with their tendency to want to suckle will find the little male's Penis instead of a teat. Once this begins, it is hard to stop. The little male will get sore and eventually infected while the sibling suckling will become ill and often stop eating.

*Two to three weeks: Four to six inches long, kitten's eyes are open, ears aren't yet fully erect, kitten begins moving upright to some extent. Feedings can be fewer now as kitten will be drinking more. If kept warm and dry, four feedings a day should be fine, such as 7 am, 12 PM, 5 PM and 10 PM, stimulating still before and after. By three weeks of age you can begin introducing solid foods. A canned food made specifically for kittens is best, following weaning food ratios given in this article. Also, at this time, it would be wise to place the kitten in a small pan of litter right after stimulating to get them used to the scent and feel of a litter pan. Use only unscented clay litter. At three weeks you may wish to move the kitten(s) from a box to an enclosed crate or popup pet sports enclosure.

*Three to four weeks: Five to 8 inches long, they are now beginning to socially interact with each other, if you only have one kitten to raise, begin a little interactive play with a small feather or bell-ball at the end of a string. Do not use your finger as a play toy, this will begin bad habits. Offer and leave safe toys in kittens' crate/enclosure, pet and talk to often to help it socialize. If you have another adult feline that will tolerate the kitten, try introductions so kitten will learn from the older cat. Place small shoe-box size litter pan in crate with an inch of litter and sides no more than 2" high.

*Four to five weeks: Six to nine inches long, Four feedings of formula and one of canned at four weeks, then, at 5 weeks, it's the time to begin feeding kitten(s) from a flat dish or lid being careful to offer food in several places-about 1 teaspoon weaning food in as many spots around the dish as you have kittens to feed. Supplement with bottle feedings 3 X per day. A schedule of 6 am, Noon, then lastly at 6 PM, with 9 or 10 PM solid or canned food feeding. Be sure to put kitten in litter box, after stimulation of bottle feedings, made of pan no more than 2 inches high around sides so easily entered, leave in crate. You may also begin feeding formula in a very low, shallow pan or lid with a bit of formula or water. At this age, allow kitten several exercise sessions per day, placing kitten in litter box after 20 minutes or so.

*Five to six weeks: Seven to 10 inches long, two feedings of formula and 3 feedings of solid food, or you might pour a little formula over small clumps of canned or kitten dry food, shallowly, to get kittens used to drinking from a dish or bowl. Intermittently, place warm water over dry kitten formula, then formula over canned clumps, getting kitty used to drinking on his own. Do not use newspaper or plastic in crate or container bottom as they may get used to pooping on paper, urinating on plastic rather than in their litterbox, instead, line with a washable vinyl, such as cut from an old tablecloth. This is a good time to introduce a scratching post if you have not already done so.

Feeding Formula Recipe for the kitten birth-8 weeks

1 c. water brought to a boil

1/4 t. salt

2 T. sugar

1 envelope knox unflavored gelatin

2 egg yolks

1 can goats' milk (12 oz.) OR evaporated milk

(goat's milk best, but evaporated cheaper)

3 T. plain yogurt (Not nonfat)

2 teaspoons olive oil or cod liver oil

DIRECTIONS:

After bringing cold water to a boil (or use bottled water) add salt, sugar and whisk with wire whisk or fork, the gelatin (slowly sprinkle while whisking), then egg yolks into water. Cover container, whisk together yogurt and goats' milk with oil.

In a food processor or blender combine water mixture with milk mixture. Pour about 1/2 cup to be used in 3 days in container for refrigerator, pour rest in icecube tray covered with saran wrap for day 4 onwards. Always warm to body temperature (test) by placing syringe, Visene bottle or pet bottle into HOT water, don't microwave the formula itself. Always stir before filling bottle or syringe.

Feeding

Have handy several tissues or a roll of soft toilet tissue, hot water to reheat formula and to dip tissue for stimulation. Begin by stimulating the kitten's bottom with a warm damp tissue, just keep dabbing in an attempt to entice the kitten to urinate. Hopefully, your kitten will have one bowel movement a day. You must stimulate before and after each feeding. Keep kitten warm, wrapped in a small cloth or soft paper towel.

Formula should be body temperature, but not too warm. Hold kitten securely in one hand in an upright position, it's head between your thumb and forefinger, holding bottle or syringe with the other. Give a drop, checking to see if it swallowed. Once you manage to get a few drops down you will have stimulated it's appetite. and it should drink better next feeding. If it is accepting of the feeding, go ahead and feed till it's tummy is full. When returning kitten to it's bed, make sure it is clean and dry.

Warmth and bedding

The best heat source is probably a good heating pad set at it's lowest temperature, with a towel placed on top, or a small infrared heat lamp hung safely and far enough away that even the older kitten cannot reach it. After turning on heating pad or heat lamp, check several times within the hour to insure kittens are not getting too warm. In an emergency you can even use liter bottles or an old rubber hot water bottle wrapped in a towel, but they have to be changed every hour.

Your container can be a cardboard box, a large aquarium, or even a cage with close-set bars when kittens are very tiny, but as kittens near three to four week stage, they will begin needing more room. Several layers of soft paper toweling works well for bedding as it wicks away moisture much like a baby diaper to help keep kittens dry.

Troubleshooting

Diarrhea: Loose and runny bowels can be caused by bacteria, colds, virus, or just digestive disorder. Kittens can quickly dehydrate, so this must be stopped as soon as possible. If it continues longer than 12 hours after electrolytes, contact your vet ASAP.

1.) discontinue formula

2.) give electrolytes

Electrolyte recipe:

2 teaspoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup water boiled

-mix together, cool to body temperature, store in frig. dispose of after 2 days.

Constipation

If kitten hasn't had a bowel movement or strains to defecate, tummy seems full hours after eating, he may be constipated. Try a few drops of mineral oil every couple hours. If this doesn't work contact your vet, as kitten may need an enema, which is best done by a vet or technician.

Need for separation of kittens

Kittens are natural sucklings, and in the absence of mother's nipple, they will seek out any appendage they can, even a siblings, which may be a male kitten's penis. When this happens, it is hard to stop, the male will get sore and even infected while the suckling will become ill and stop eating. For this reason, it is often necessary to separate kittens.

Weaning

The weaning process should begin at about four weeks, and very gradually extend till kitten is six to eight weeks.

At about four weeks of age, take a tiny amount of canned food (formulated for kittens) on the end of your finger, open kitten's mouth and push this small bit of food onto the roof of it's mouth. Kitten usually will consume it, then try once again, but if kitten pushes the food out, don't worry, just try again the next day, repeat this again several hours later. Do this daily for 3 or 4 days. On the 4th or 5th day begin putting small half teaspoon amounts into a flat container like a plastic lid, pouring over about a teaspoon (per kitten) of formula. While kitten is standing, bring it's mouth into contact with the food and formula. You may have to do this several times to get the kitten to realize this new food source comes from a dish. Once they begin eating ravenously from the dish, they get very messy getting feet and all into the food. They often need to be rinsed under a faucet of warm water, using a washcloth for face. Dry gently with a towel or blow dryer set on low temperature. Soon you can begin using a regular catfood *diner* or low-sided double dish so kitten can learn to eat by standing OUTSIDE of it's food source. If you have three or four kittens, a round microwave muffin dish works well to separate foods and water. By 5 1/2 to 6 weeks of age, introduce dry kitten food by pouring a little warmed water over a tablespoon or so of dry kitten food, this encourages kittens to drink water, and begin eating dry food.

At four weeks of age, be sure kitten is well introduced to a low-sided litterbox. at this age they need more room to play, so you can place a folded vinyl tablecloth into a dry bathtub with litterbox inside and toys. Here they can also be fed as it will be easier to clean and wipe dry. Once they are using a litterbox faithfully, by 5 or 6 weeks of age, you may want to let them run around in a larger, safe, enclosed area, such as a bathroom. If you find fecal matter outside the litter container, put it into the litterbox. It is best not to allow them on carpeting till you are sure they are using the litterbox faithfully.

Finding homes

Finally! You are finished Congratulations! If you aren't planning on keeping your kitten(s) it is best to begin looking for homes when they are no more than 3 weeks of age so when they are weaned and ready, you have a ready home. NEVER advertise FREE TO GOOD HOME. Statistics show only one out of five may find what is actually considered a GOOD home... Most people do not mind paying a fee for well cared for kittens, so it is a good idea to charge a fee, as anyone will take free pets, but many are not good forever homes, or are not responsible pet people that will make sure the kitten is spayed or neutered at the right time and may still believe it is OK to declaw.

Local veterinarians are good places to post a photo of kitten(s) you have for adoption.

You will want to make sure those adopting your kitten(s) understand that kittens and cats need their claws kept intact, that they need a scratching post and eventually a good, sturdy cat tree with sisal or berber poles. Cats need to scratch daily, it is important exercise, not bad behavior.

Write down your kitten's present diet schedule, and send a little of the food you feed along with the new parents. Also give a copy of the kitten's vaccinations and deworming dates and when he is due for the next. Make sure people bring a proper pet carrier, or provide one and include it in your adoption fee.