Aussie summer is a worry for new kittens...

I live in Queensland in Oz and the heat is like 40C, my kittens (who are 3 weeks old) are panting and looking like I feel, They are in the coolest place in the house but I want to know if there is anything else I can do for them?...

Originally Posted by kylastory

I live in Queensland in Oz and the heat is like 40C, my kittens (who are 3 weeks old) are panting and looking like I feel, They are in the coolest place in the house but I want to know if there is anything else I can do for them?...

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Hopefully Kumbulu will be on shortly...she also lives in Australia and works with orphaned kittens. She will probably have good ideas for helping your kittens. At this point you are keeping mom cat indoors with her kittens right?

I found this on the kitten rescue site:

The ideal temperature within the box should be:

Birth to 3 weeks: 85-88oF (30-31oC)

http://www.kitten-rescue.com/cold_kitten.html

Katie

I am keeping the kittens indoors, unfortunately, without air-conditioning the coolest spot in the house is about 35C at the hottest part of the day.

xxxK

Here is an article written about this subject-


Keeping Cats Cool-

Your kittens should be flat on a tile floor if possible, take a cardboard box and cut large holes in the side- but not large enough for the kittens to get through these are air holes. Cut out the bottom of the box, set the corners around the kittens and if you can put a fan far enough way, on the floor to blow cool air at them, not on them.

kylastory, mumcat will lick the kittens all over and they will cool as the moisture evaporates. If they are panting, wet a washcloth, wring it out well and rub each kitten down with it. As hissy's article advises, find a small fan and have it on low in their general direction, waist-high is good to get the air moving but not blowing on them. You may need to give them a dropperful of boiled, cooled water each a couple of times a day to help with their hydration.

Something else I do is to dip just their paws in a bowl of water. The water should be room temperature, not cold or hot. Gently wring out the paws so they are damp but not dripping wet.

Also, I think what Katie meant was that you should be keeping mumcat inside so she cannot become pregnant again. Cats can mate and become pregnant within a week of giving birth and will also do all they can to get outside and mate as the kittens get a little older. So keep a close eye on her. She can be spayed once the kittens are eight weeks old.