Feeding Orphan Kittens - What You Should Really Know to Avoid Any Mistakes in the Beginning
The kittens will be deprived of colostrum or first milk, which contains many valuable nutrients and antibodies that protect the kittens until they are weaned.
You can obtain kitten milk formulas from your veterinarian or a pet store, but these do not contain all the nutrients or antibodies of their mother's milk.
Make sure that the formula is at room temperature and give them only a few drops at a time as their stomachs are very small and you should follow the manufacturer's guidelines.
For the first week of their lives, the kittens will need to be fed every two hours.
After each feeding, take a soft cloth and gently wipe against the genitals and rectum to stimulate them to excrete.
You will also need to wash their faces and bottoms.
As the kittens eat more, you can increase the amount of time between feedings.
Try feeding orphan kittens with nursing bottles made especially for kittens.
If this does not work, try using a syringe or an eye dropper.
The queen will feed and clean her kittens, and eat their urine and excrement until they are able to use a litter pan which will happen usually at about three weeks of age.
Your queen is at the mercy of her hormones, and her behavior may change accordingly.
Pregnant cats may be unusually content and affectionate.
A veterinarian or experiences breeder may be able to confirm pregnancy.
During the last few weeks of your queen's pregnancy you may need to gently clean the area around her anus with a soft cloth and water.
As with any other cat, the increasing girth of her stomach sometimes makes it difficult for her to reach around to clean herself properly.
You can obtain kitten milk formulas from your veterinarian or a pet store, but these do not contain all the nutrients or antibodies of their mother's milk.
Make sure that the formula is at room temperature and give them only a few drops at a time as their stomachs are very small and you should follow the manufacturer's guidelines.
For the first week of their lives, the kittens will need to be fed every two hours.
After each feeding, take a soft cloth and gently wipe against the genitals and rectum to stimulate them to excrete.
You will also need to wash their faces and bottoms.
As the kittens eat more, you can increase the amount of time between feedings.
Try feeding orphan kittens with nursing bottles made especially for kittens.
If this does not work, try using a syringe or an eye dropper.
The queen will feed and clean her kittens, and eat their urine and excrement until they are able to use a litter pan which will happen usually at about three weeks of age.
Your queen is at the mercy of her hormones, and her behavior may change accordingly.
Pregnant cats may be unusually content and affectionate.
A veterinarian or experiences breeder may be able to confirm pregnancy.
During the last few weeks of your queen's pregnancy you may need to gently clean the area around her anus with a soft cloth and water.
As with any other cat, the increasing girth of her stomach sometimes makes it difficult for her to reach around to clean herself properly.