It may be unrealistic to think a kitten could be saved with a little work; sometimes, however, kittens can survive if someone is committed to feeding and tending them.
Mama Cat Gone
If the mama cat turns up missing or tragically is killed or sick, a caring person may be able to save the kittens from starving. Sometimes a mother cat disappears and so the kittens will have to be cared for if they are to survive. A kitten may be abandoned or lost and need immediate help to live. When a mama cat is sick or injured the kittens can survive in many cases.
Newborns are the hardest to save. They are fragile and have special needs.
Keep Them Warm
The first thing to know is that the kitten cannot keep warm alone. Place the kitten or kittens in a warm place in a cardboard box perhaps and put the box in a warm room, barn, or garage. Place an old towel or an old sweater or sweatshirt in the box to make snuggling places for the kittens to cuddle in. If there are several kittens, they will help keep each other warm. Don’t hold them any more than necessary as this may chill them and handling too much can cause fatal diarrhea. If they are not trembling they are probably warm enough.
Feed with a Bottle
Any kitten under 25 days old will need to have formula. Regular cow milk will not work as the tiny systems are not able to use the milk. It will cause diarrhea which can be fatal to any baby animal.
Pet stores, veterinarians, feed stores, and farm supplies stores usually sell cans of formula for orphaned kittens as well as doll sized bottles. Hartz™ and Newborn™ are two of the available brands of kitten formula. Most provide the essential nutrition needed by kittens.
The bottles come with tiny nipples that must be punctured with a hot needle or cut with a razor blade. Have an adult help with this job. Increase the size of the hole as the kittens grow.
An eye dropper may be needed first to get the kitten’s fluid levels up. Use it to squirt a few drops of water and then formula at a time into the kitten’s mouth. The formula should be mixed carefully according to the weight and age of the kitten. Usually, the ratio is one tablespoon of formula powder to one and one half tablespoons of water.
Feed the kittens once every four hours. After the kittens are about 20 days old they won’t need to be feed during the night. Feed them just before bedtime so that they can sleep well and feed them early in the morning.
Kittens may not seem to get much from the bottle at first, and so it may take a long time to get a kitten fed. Once they catch on feedings go quickly. Each growing kitten will need about one oz. of milk per feeding, but he will have to work up to that much. At first try to feed him a few teaspoons full. Use the formula can instructions to know how much to give each kitten. Wash the bottles and nipples in hot water and drain well.after each feeding.
If the kittens are nearly identical, try marking each with a tag or collar or a ribbon so that they will each be fed. Or use a system like placing each in the box and feeding one completely before taking up the next kitten.
Weaning Kittens from Milk
When the kittens have gotten to the point at about 25 days old when they tear and gnaw at the bottle nipple when they are being fed, they are old enough to start on soft food. Begin by pouring the milk into a shallow bowl for the kittens to lap up. After they have investigated the milk, dip their chins into the milk so they get the taste and they will soon learn to lick up the milk. Dissolve a few bits of kitten food in the milk which they can nibble on.
With each feeding, add more cat food and less milk until after a while the kittens will eat all dry kitten food.
Keep the kittens clean by adding a kitty litter pan to their box so they will learn to use the litter. Change the litter and box lining often.
If the kittens don’t survive know that they may not have survived anyway without your help. Raising orphaned kittens is difficult, but it can be done if you are committed to the long process of feeding and protecting the kittens.
