Taking care of a fresh new fur baby is both a delight and a duty, requiring specialized understanding of newborn kitten care.
A kitten is considered a newborn from birth to four months old, which gives her ample time to be weaned from her mother and acquire basic life skills like eating and using the litter box.
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Tips for Newborn Kitten Care
Whether you’re the main caregiver for newborn kittens or you’re collaborating with a cat mom, make sure you have everything you need to keep your new cuddle bundles in good health.
Bedding
Newborn kittens are born blind (they open their eyes between seven and fourteen days after birth), therefore they must be kept secure and warm at all times. They’ll snuggle up with each other and their mother, if feasible.
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Provide a comfortable bed made of layered materials, such as fleece blankets, and consider creating a DIY cat bed to accommodate your cuddle pool of cats of various ages. Place the bed in a warm, draft-free area where other dogs and children will not disturb the infants.
Food
If the cat mother isn’t available to breastfeed, you’ll have to bottle-feed the infants using special formula. Speak with your veterinarian to choose the best one. Best Friends warns against feeding a cat on her back because she may choke.
Instead, place her on her side (like she would while nursing her mother) or hold her upright. Once your kitten is completely weaned, feed her specially made kitten food to help her build strong bones, eyes, and muscles.
Litter Box Training
Litter box training is a crucial part of caring for newborn kittens. Cats aren’t born knowing where to use the restroom, so if mom cat isn’t around to assist, it’s up to you. Allow her to inspect the box to acquaint herself with its location and function.
In lieu of cat mom, you may need to encourage her pee or bowel movements. According to the Canadian Pet Information Centre, “a good technique is to take a warm washcloth or cotton ball and gently wipe the kitten’s urogenital area until elimination occurs.” Do this on a regular basis, every few hours, until she develops the behaviour on her own.
Grooming
Brushing her coat and clipping her nails are two essential parts of newborn kitten care, and the sooner you begin normal cat maintenance, the simpler it will be for both of you. Regular brushing or combing eliminates superfluous hair (reducing hairballs) and maintains her coat clean and shining, and nail cutting reduces the likelihood of a claw snag.
Wellness
Experts suggest that newborn kittens have their first veterinary visit as soon as possible, ideally within the first week or two after birth, so that the doctor may do a general health check.
The Drake Centre for Veterinary Care recommends that pet owners check their kitten’s food intake and keep an eye out for any “motor skills and coordination delays or difficulties, or lethargy, diarrhea, or vomiting.” Upper respiratory infections, distemper, ear mites, and intestinal parasites are all common in newborns, so if you have any concerns, call your veterinarian right once.
Spaying or Neutering
According to the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, most kittens are spayed (females) or neutered (males) at about six months of age, however a veterinarian may prescribe the treatment sooner. Spaying is not normally part of newborn kitten care, but if she is old enough, cat experts strongly advise spaying and neutering for your cat’s health and to keep cat overpopulation under control.
Preparing for Adoption
You should socialize your kittens regardless of whether you want to adopt them or keep them. The Nest recommends carefully touching your kittens one at a time, beginning when they reach their first week of age and allowing mom cat to smell you first if she is available. Baby kittens like nipping and pawing at their caretakers, but this behaviour may become troublesome when the cat grows older.
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Socializing a kitten helps her feel at ease and confident while interacting with humans and other animals, preparing her to adjust to a new environment when she is adopted. Cats that like being handled will find it simpler to complete tasks such as cleaning their teeth, going to the doctor, and meeting new people.
It’s impossible to think of anything cuter than a mound of tiny newborn kittens. These delicate but lively young animals rely entirely on you, their pet parent, for everything, and investing in the care and well-being of a newborn cat will melt your heart.