BASIC NEONATAL KITTEN CARE, STEP BY STEP

I just realized that I don't have a consolidated post including all the basics of tiny kitten care. Sorry! Here it is: the Kitten Care Cliff's Notes.

The most essential things to provide a nursing kitten are warmth, security/safety, nutrition, fluids, and help peeing/pooing. None of these aspects can be neglected to any extent. Until they are roughly 6 weeks old, kittens are in a very precarious position in this world, and can fail quickly and unexpectedly. We need to care for them consistently well, or their chances of surviving are slim...

1. Heat

The thing that is hardest for inexperienced fosters to understand is that kittens younger than about 7 weeks cannot produce and regulate their own body heat. What that means is that they are a lot like reptiles--they need an external heat source in order to function. Without one, no matter how nice and warm the air is and how many blankets they are wrapped in, they will freeze to death. A kitten's body temperature is also higher than a human's, so keeping him on your lap is also not warm enough. A nursing kitten needs to be on a heating pad or hot water bottle 24/7 in order to live. Please trust me on this one...I've had more than one person who asks me for guidance disregard this rule and then had kittens freeze to death. No idea why someone would ask for expert life-saving advice and then choose to ignore it, but people are stupid, I guess. The best and safest way to keep a kitten safe, clean, confined and warm is by building it a little house no bigger than the heating pad itself (i.e. no cold corners). I use Coke boxes that I get from behind the grocery store. I don't recommend using a cat carrier because I've seen kittens get their heads stuck between the bars (scary!!) and because they don't offer sufficient insulation or protection from airborne pathogens.

Inside the kitten house, put the hot water bottle (make sure it's always warm!) or heating pad on low on the bottom and then a few layers of fluffy fabric on top. I use bits of clean fuzzy blanket, which I keep changing as they get dirty. I wash them in the laundry with bleach so I always have a fresh supply to rotate through. Fuzzy blanket bits are perfect because they absorb and store heat AND create a barrier between the heat source and baby should it be too hot (Danger!!! Overheating will kill!) . Fuzzy blanket bits are also perfect because they are cozy for the babies, who like to nurse and roll around in them like they would with their mommy cats <3

2. Security/safety

Baby cats need to be kept well confined in their little houses. They only really come out for feeding and peeing time, and a bit of cuddle time. They LOVE their boxes, so don't feel bad leaving them there all day and night! Their houses are the safest places for them to be, but only if you make sure of it. That means that the whole bottom of the house is heated and covered in blankets so that babies can't settle in cold corners and freeze. The top is covered with a towel for extra insulation and then, on top of that, something flat and heavy so that the babies can't climb out. I use a square of plywood. Everything in the box needs to be kept meticulously clean to prevent infection (bacterial, viral). Everything that touches the kitten needs to be kept meticulously clean for the same reason. That means washing hands with soap and water before each handling (remember that absolutely everyone needs to clean hands before touching the kitts), keeping bottles/feeding syringes clean, replacing bedding frequently, and keeping the babies in their house in one very clean, safe, warm, indoor location. Outdoors is absolutely not an option. They also need to be kept safe from other pets and kids who might disturb or even harm them. I usually recommend that people keep the kitten box in a closed bathroom, laundry room, office space, or closet, and never on the floor. Elevating them by keeping them on a table offers even more protection from pathogens, pets, and kids. Try to avoid moving the kittens from this one secure location, as each change in environment is very dangerous (exposure to a new set of viruses/bacteria in each location). That means NOT taking them to show-and-tell at the Kindergarten or to visit friends. The only time I take nursing babies with me anywhere is when I have no other choice. If I want to hang out with the babies a bit, I make sure to only put them on clean fabric draped over the furniture or my lap.

3. Nutrition

Kittens need to eat a very specifically formulated milk substitute. There are many commercial varieties, not all of which are created equal. I've had the most consistent success with Royal Canin kitten and puppy formulas (they are actually exactly the same thing, marketed separately for two different species), KMR, and a local Israeli brand that comes in a little green plastic container. A few others have caused beastly, life-threatening issues. Some kitten rescuers use goat's milk, but I haven't tried it. There are also a few recipes here if you can't get formula. This is my post on how often and how much to feed a baby cat. Here, you can see feeding postures. If a kitten is not fed on the proper schedule or in improper quantities/quality, he will die. Cow's milk and human baby formula will NOT sustain a kitten!!

4. Fluids

People do not always realize that water is the most essential life-giving force. It is essential to all bodily functions. Kittens stay hydrated when we feed them frequently and in good quantities. The water we use to mix their formula is what keeps their bodies functioning. I often get kittens passed on to me from carers who didn't understand how essential feeding is for the purpose of hydration, and who underfeed. The babies come to my dry as raisins and need emergency care. Some die. I just took in a litter that had been "cared for" (yes, in quotes, because the level of care was beyond pathetic), and their urine was actually solid. Luckily, I was able to get them rehydrated, and 3 of the 4 survived and flourished. Once kittens are weaned and until they are able to drink water from a dish at about 7 weeks old, they need to get fluids in their solid food. That means mixing extra warm water into their canned food, meaty shake or gruel (soaked and squished dry kitten kibble) so that there is a substantial amount of liquid in it. Once they start drinking fresh water, you son't have to worry quite as much about this issue.

5. Peeing/pooing

Kittens cannot pee and poo on their own until about the same time they start weaning. Mommy cat will help them by licking their genitals and tushies until everything is cleared out. Now, since you're mommy cat, you need to do that job. If you're lucky, you will have a pet who will help you by doing this job! Each baby needs to be relieved before each and every meal. If you skip this step, he will blow up like a balloon and die of toxicity or any other number of complications. The best and easiest way is to use either cotton wool or baby wipes and to rub gently until they have fully relieved themselves. Once nothing else comes out, you know they have finished peeing/pooing. It is absolutely essential that a baby pee each time, but pooing is much more infrequent. You don't need to freak out if a nursing baby goes a good 4-5 days without a poo. If he has diarrhea or any other weird poo, go to the vet! Always rub side-to-side, not front-to-back, and this can spread bacteria and cause serious urinary tract infections. If the pee is anything other than a transparent, light yellow with a very faint pee odor, get to the doc! It is likely either an infection or severe dehydration.

That's all I can think of now for the Kitten Care Cliff's Notes, so I'll click save and add more if I think of it.

Good luck! And thanks for caring for the babies!