Help! Week old orphan kitten

jane_vernon · Sep 20, 2005

Hi

I have an orphan week old kitten (well just under a week) and I am hand rearing it. I bottle feed, toilet it, and wipe its eyes like I was told to by the vet.

It gets fed every four hours, but every two hours it just starts to cry.

Why would it be doing this? Does it want company? Or is there something else that I'm missing?

Please help! I want the little guy to be ok.

Jane

kumbulu · Sep 21, 2005

Hi Jane. Please visit www.kitten-rescue.com to find out all you need to know about hand-raising these little ones. At a week old, she may ned to be fed more often as her tummy is so tiny and can only hold so much. Try feeding every 3 hours and see if the crying stops. As well as feeding and toileting the little one, be sure to gently handle her, use your index finger to pat her (as if imitating mum-cat's tongue) and breathe warm air onto her. These all help comfort a lonely kitten.

Place a small ticking clock under her bedding. This mimics her mum's heartbeat and helps her settle. If you have a stuffed toy that you don't mind parting with, put this in the box with her. Also, make sure she is warm enough. There is a section on kitten rescue about keeping your kitten warm.

Also, you don't need to wipe the eyes unless they need cleaning.

jane_vernon · Sep 21, 2005

Hi

Thanks for that. Kitten seems to be doing reasonably well. It suckles really well, has been weeing regularly and it doing a reasonable poo once a day. It seems to move around an awful lot, but I think this is good as at least it is strong, those little paws can do some serious pushing.

I will have to try and get a ticking clock!

beckiboo · Sep 22, 2005

You are good to take on this responsibility! It is such a challenge to care for the tiny ones! Best of luck!

StefanZ · Sep 22, 2005

I believe the recommendation is feed every two hours in the beginning. A little later 4. It is perhaps so this a little later isnt here yet...

Keep up the good work!

semiferal · Sep 22, 2005

I find that most of my kittens naturally feed on about a 3-hour schedule.

There's nothing wrong with feeding every 2 hours if the kitten wants it, though. If you are able, it is better to follow the kitten's cues and feed him when he indicates that he is hungry.

However, he will not be harmed by waiting longer. I personally feed approximately every 3 hours during the day but if they are more than 5 or so days old and are eating well during the day, I let them go for 6 hours at night (um, assuming I actually have time to sleep for 6 hours myself, lol).

emb_78 · Sep 22, 2005

Originally Posted by Kumbulu

Hi Jane. Please visit www.kitten-rescue.com to find out all you need to know about hand-raising these little ones. At a week old, she may ned to be fed more often as her tummy is so tiny and can only hold so much. Try feeding every 3 hours and see if the crying stops. As well as feeding and toileting the little one, be sure to gently handle her, use your index finger to pat her (as if imitating mum-cat's tongue) and breathe warm air onto her. These all help comfort a lonely kitten.

Place a small ticking clock under her bedding. This mimics her mum's heartbeat and helps her settle. If you have a stuffed toy that you don't mind parting with, put this in the box with her. Also, make sure she is warm enough. There is a section on kitten rescue about keeping your kitten warm.

Also, you don't need to wipe the eyes unless they need cleaning.

Great advice!!!

Help! Week old orphan kitten

jane_vernon

TCS Member

Thread starter

kumbulu

TCS Member

jane_vernon

TCS Member

Thread starter

beckiboo

TCS Member

StefanZ

Advisor

semiferal

TCS Member

emb_78

TCS Member

Latest Posts

Connect with us