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Written by Anne Moss
Please visit our sister site - www.kitten-rescue.com for a complete orphan kitten
guide.
Newborn kittens are tiny helpless creatures. They are deaf and blind and totally dependent on their mother's care. Sometimes, people are
given the task of replacing that maternal care. This may happen when the queen that gave birth in your house rejects the kittens or if you come
across an abandoned newborn kitten. Either way the task of being a mother cat substitute can be daunting. The kittens need constant care and
demand a lot of your time and energy.
If possible, it is best to find a surrogate feline mother. You can check with local rescue organization and vets to see of they know of a lactating
mother cat that may take the kittens. Only if this is not achievable, you should try taking on the challenge of hand rearing kittens.
General Care
It is best to contact your veterinarian and inform him or her about the infants. Let your vet know of anything to do with the kittens that you find
disturbing. The kittens are very delicate creatures - in case of medical problem their condition may deteriorate within hours. It's best to ask for
advice early on rather than risk complications.
The most important things about raising kittens are keeping them warm and giving the right amounts of quality nutrition. Keep track of the
kittens' development by weighing them daily during the first week and every 2-3 days during the next few days. Write down the results in a special
diary so that you and your vet can check the kittens' progress.
The Kittens' Environment
If you have to take care of several newborn kittens, it is better to prepare a homemade incubator or "nest". In their book Cat Owner's Home
Veterinary Handbook, Carlson and Griffin recommend dividing a cardboard box into compartments. This should be done because very young
kittens have a very strong urge to suckle - if they can't find a mother's nipples, they may start to suckle parts of each other's body. The kittens
should remain in separate compartments until they are three weeks old.
Hand Rearing Kittens 2
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