HOW TO RAISE KITTENS WITH A MOTHER'S LOVE
"Roadie" and "Oreo" enjoying one of many many bottles!
**Information on this site is not meant to replace veterinary care. You should always consult your veterinarian for advice and support in hand raising any orphaned animal**
Determining age of kitten
As stated in Highway Litter...Animal Cruelty" Roadie and Oreo were found at approximately 10 days old. Kittens eyes open at about 8 days and ears start to stand up at about 2 weeks. Their eyes were open but ears were still down for about 4 days after finding them. Therefore I am declaring their "birthday" as September 1, 2000.
Both kittens were still doing the belly crawl when found and about 1 1/2 weeks later started trying out their legs. Kittens start trying to walk at about 3 weeks old which put them right on schedule. Then a week later they began playing with each other which is normal for about 4 weeks old. This is also when I noticed the feel of teeth when they sucked on my hand which again is normal for this age. Also between the 3rd. and 4th. week they started taking a real interest in their surroundings and at 4 weeks the little tykes started running! Not too far though as they didn't want to get too far from Mom (me!) This was also the time they discovered they had paws and began grooming themselves as shown here by Oreo.
What...How....and When to Feed
There are several brands of milk replacers on the market especially formulated for kittens and puppies. Roadie and Oreo were put on "KMR" (milk replacer for kittens.) It is not advisable to use regular milk even diluted with water or baby formula for human babies. For very young kittens, under 7 days, or malnutritioned kittens, the KMR directions advise to use one measure of dry formula to 2 measures of warm water. (In an emergency, see Emergency Kitten Formula for temporary formulas) This was done for Roadie and Oreo for about 3 days. After that I went to 2 measures of dry formula mixed with 3 measures of warm water. A word of advice: The KMR powdered comes in a 6 oz. can and a 12 oz. can and anyone finding themselves with very young kittens should get the large container. From the day the kittens were found until the day they turned 4 weeks old, I went through 1 6oz. can and 2 12oz. cans and opened another 6 oz. can at the start of their 4th. week. Depending on where you buy it, the 12 oz. container can cost from $15 to $18. For those who have access to one of many wholesale vet supply catalogs, you will find your cost can be cut in half!
According to directions kittens should be fed 2 tablespoons (30 ml.) per 4 oz. of body weight daily. The animal nursing bottle I use is 4 tablespoons (60 ml.) The kittens were fed about every 4 hours for 1 1/2 weeks gradually increasing their intake until at 4 weeks were drinking 2 tablespoons per meal. The first time the kittens were weighed was Sept.23rd, making them 3 weeks old. The "average" weight of a 3 week old kitten is 10 oz. Roadie weighed 8 oz. and Oreo was 16 oz! Obviously Oreo required more food than Roadie due to weight instead of age. 11 days later Roadie reached 1 pound and Oreo was 1 1/2 pounds. Once the kittens are used to a bottle, they will pretty much tell you how much food they need and you will find yourself running to make more formula as their intake increases.
When introducing a bottle to orphaned kittens, be patient. This is a strange new feeling and taste and many kittens will be hesitant to nurse from this foreign object! Hold the kitten against your body in one hand and put the bottle to his mouth and gently nudge it inside. If he fights it, try squeezing a drop or two in his mouth. The first few feedings may not go smooth, but with patience you will find the kitten will accept the bottle and nurse eagerly. Kittens "knead" their mother when nursing, so be sure part of your hand is in a position for them to push on it. Sometimes wrapping the bottle in a washcloth will be just enough for them to push on. Once you get the hang of holding the kitten in one hand and the bottle in the other, start using the hand that holds the kitten to gently stroke the side of his mouth. This will stimulate him to nurse even better. Once the kitten has nursed, burp him. Yes, I said burp him! Just like a baby, lay him on your shoulder and pat and rub his back until the little tyke "bubbles!" The kittens will take in some air nursing from the bottle so to prevent upset tummies a burp is necessary.
Between the week of 4 to 5, the kittens will be eagerly wanting the bottle at feeding time. This would be the time to take one at a time for feeding or you will be scratched and clawed by the others to get to the bottle! My legs, arms and hands look like I've been in a cat fight! Dealing with only two I learned to bottle feed one while keeping the other occupied. It didn't always work as the scratches show!
The kittens were started on real food at 4 weeks old. Kitten food was soaked in warm water (they cannot crunch dry food yet) and canned food was placed in the same dish beside it. Be sure it is warm. The other half of the dish had the formula. They may or may not eat much, mine did not, but it was offered every day, several times a day fresh!
At 5 weeks the kittens are eating more and more food and requiring less and less bottle although I still offer the bottle after each real food feeding. Rather than drinking a full bottle, Oreo drank half and Roadie drank a quarter. We are well on our way to total weaning!
Stimulation...a necessary part of Motherhood!
When raising orphaned kittens you become their Mother! Part of the Mother cat's job is to clean and stimulate her babies. A Mother cat will lick the kittens abdomen and bottom to stimulate the discharge of waste from bowel and bladder. This is easily simulated using a WARM cotton ball or soft paper towel. This is done gently as not to irritate the area. During the first week with Roadie and Oreo, they only urinated. It wasn't until their 3rd. week when the bowels kicked in. Be sure and clean the kittens thoroughly with a warm cloth using short gently strokes. This will also teach them how to groom themselves. Another thing I did with with kittens for stimulation was to give them their daily massages! I gently laid them on their back and stroked in small circles, their shoulders. Their bodies totally relaxed and heads were on the floor! This gives them attention, stimulation, and love! Here's Oreo showing how it's done.
Ohhhh the dreaded worming medicine and yucky fleas and shots!!
Kittens can be wormed at 2 weeks of age and it should be done! Your veterinarian will be able to give you the proper medication and dosage according to the kittens weight. Obviously Oreo received twice the dosage as Roadie because he weighed twice as much as her. It is given by mouth using a very small syringe (minus the needle!) placed in the side of their mouth and squirted in. One week later, the process is repeated with the dosage slightly increased.
Kittens may have fleas but you cannot use any flea product on young kittens!!! You will have to manually pick them off and use a flea comb. Roadie and Oreo loved being combed even at 10 days old! Kittens also require shots but not until 8 or 9 weeks old (consult with your veterinarian) All kittens/cats should be vaccinated against the feline diseases including feline leukemia. And don't forget the rabies vaccine which is usually done at the age of 4 months. Then yearly vaccinations are a must!
Exercise and household introduction
Roadie and Oreo were kept in a crate for their own safety and security. Use a towel or blanket for snuggling. A litter box was introduced while the kittens were still in crate which is why it didn't take long for them to use it. Starting at 4 weeks they were taken out more and more. At first you'll find they are timid but it won't take long for them to explore their surroundings. Offer a "toy" or even aluminum foil rolled up into a ball and they eventually get the hang of batting it around! The kittens were introduced to different rooms in the house and by 5 weeks they were very comfortable no matter where I put them. It's important to get them used to different things as it will build their confidence in handling new situations down the road. The television, the vacuum cleaner, other pets, dishwasher, telephone, etc. all are new and strange sounds and can frighten them if they are not introduced at an early age. At 5 weeks Roadie and Oreo can now be left loose in a kitty proof room. (watch for electrical cords as they WILL try to chew them!)
A typical morning would be: Feeding time, bottle time, play time, nap time. Once the kittens have run and played, they always come back to "Mom" (me) and curl up in my lap and go to sleep. After stroking and petting and loving them for awhile, they are fast asleep. This is when I place them back in their freshly cleaned crate on their blanket and they immediately go to sleep again. Today at the age of 5 weeks and 2 days, I will introduce them to a scratching post and give them something they can climb and jump from.
Nail Trimming
Starting around the Five week old period, I began trimming sharp little claws. Roadie and Oreo loved to climb and unfortunately my leg became their favorite climbing post! To discourage climbing, I found if I trimmed all the claws slightly, they were less anxious to claw up my leg. No, it didn't stop it totally, but something was better than nothing. When trimming a kittens claws, hold the foot and gently press down right behind the claw. This will cause the claw to extend so you can nip it. Only cut off the tips if you are not experienced in doing this. There is a tiny vein in the claw and sometimes if you have light coming from behind the claw you are trimming, you can see exactly where to cut. IF by chance you nip too close and it begins to bleed, immediately put Kwik Stop on it and this will stop the bleeding. Always give your kitten a treat after the nail trimming so he can associate something "good" coming afterwards! If you are diligent in trimming once a week, your kitten should get used to this and not cause you any problems the next time. IF you have a kitten who just won't sit still, place his body in a towel and take out one leg at a time.
The Six to Seven Week Period
The world of big furniture and lots of room to play!
The kittens are now allowed to run and play outside the computer room. When allowing kittens to explore beyond their safe environment, take care to avoid hazardous situations like rocking chairs, electrical cords, plants and anything else that could harm them including human feet! Kittens at this age do not know to get out of your way! You must be conscious of where they are at all times. Having used their names for weeks now they seem to respond to my voice and come when called or at least show me where they are! They interact with Onyx, the Miniature Pinscher, and find her to be a wonderful toy to play with as shown below.
Onyx pins down Oreo! But then we all know what paybacks are!!
Look Mom!! We're twins!! The kittens even got to play with the big guns!
6 Weeks and a turn for the worse
At about 5 weeks old, Roadie developed a bald spot on her head. Whether this was from Oreo sucking on her or an immune deficiency problem, I'll never know. But her next problem leads me to believe she is just not as strong as Oreo.
On 10/18/00, 2 days before turning 7 weeks old, Roadie started not acting herself. She would lay in her kitty condo and just watch while Oreo played. Knowing the habits of these kittens, I immediately knew something was wrong. She had been fine all day, but that evening she was taking a turn for the worse. As I held her, I could feel the heat coming from her tiny body. The following morning I called the vet and had Roadie in the office immediately. It was determined she was dehydrating and had a temperature of 104.2! She was given an injection of Ampicillin/Polyflex and lactated ringers (injections of fluid under the skin) to help with the dehydration. I was to force feed her if necessary (which I did every hour) with KMR or Pedialyte and bring her back in that afternoon to recheck her temperature. We spent the entire day laying on the sofa and I could feel her extremely warm body not getting any cooler. A dry washcloth was put in the freezer and placed on her body throughout the day and alcohol was dabbed on her pads to get her temperature down. Several times I thought I had lost her as her body was so limp! At 4:30 I took her for her recheck only to find her temperature had gone up to 104.4! The doctor gave me Clavamox Drops which Roadie was to take twice a day. All I could do now was hold her and hope!
Up until 8:30 that evening Roadie was lifeless, then all of a sudden she was up and playing! It was as though she had taken a vacation from life and was back in full swing! A weight was lifted off my shoulders and my eyes filled with tears. My little Roadie was going to be ok!! She is still on the Clavamox and it was determined she must have had a bacterial infection and not a viral one since the antibiotic worked so quickly. She is still very tiny and only weighs 1 1/2 lbs. at 8 weeks old but seems to be doing fine, eating well, and being very lovable.
I have added this story so anyone finding themselves in this situation will immediately go to your veterinarian. Kittens this small and fragile are suseptible to many viruses and only a doctor can prescribe what is needed to help pull them through. So with the doctor's help and lots of love, Roadie has made it!
LOVE will keep us together!
LITTLE ROADIE TAKES ANOTHER TURN FOR THE WORSE
On 11/29/00 Roadie started experiencing the same symptoms she had before, lethargy, not eating, high fever, and again was put on Clavamox Drops for 10 days. Roadie had to be watched closely to be sure she was eating and drinking adequately as kittens are more prone to dehydration and low blood sugar. So once again we started the antibiotic and cool towels to lower her temperature.
YUKKY EAR MITES!!!!!
On 12/5/00 I noticed Roadie scratching at her ears and shaking her head. Upon examination I realized she had ear mites (a tiny crab like parasite) When you look into a cats ears and see brown, flaky, waxy residue that looks like coffee grounds, it's a pretty sure sign you are dealing with ear mites! Cats will usually shake their heads and scratch at their ears. This MUST be treated!! Left UNtreated, you can wind up with secondary, harder-to-treat problems such as bacterial or yeast infections, inner ear infections, or hematomas (a blood vessel rupturing within ear walls leading to a swollen ear)and possible deformation of the ear. Otodectes is the mite that usually causes the problem. It has little hairs on it's body which cause the irritation to the cat. Generally they spend their whole life "in" the ear canal, BUT can spread to other parts of the cats body. They can also be spread to other pets in the household. Roadie is currently being treated with Tresaderm 15 ml, 1-2 drops in each ear once a day for 21 days. Prior to treatment, her ears were cleaned gently with q-tips and warm water. DO NOT attempt to clean an animals ears if you are unfamiliar with doing this. If you feel you must, then don't clean any deeper than you can see. Cats with an extreme case of ear mites should be seen by your veterinarian who will possible flush and clean the ear prior to treatment. The life cycle of the ear mite is 3 weeks and treatment must be continued to cover the entire cycle. If your cat stops scratching, this is not a sign the mites are gone. Without full treatment the developing mites will reach adulthood and continue to multiply. Check your cats ears regularly and any mite problem can be nipped before it gets out of control!
SPAY and NEUTER!!PLEASE don't let us be responsible for more kittens!!!!!
Cats reproduce at a phenominal rate and there are just not enough homes for the little darlings. The shelters are over run with kittens and sadly so many must be euthanized. This is OUR problem...a human problem...and we must take responsibility. Kittens don't ask to be born, they are the product of irresponsible pet owners. The old saying: "But I want my child to experience the miracle of birth" is no excuse. Rent a movie on animal birth, visit a farm where livestock is being born, get a book! If a child has to experience the miracle of birth then show him also the agony of death. Do something, but please don't add to the already astounding numbers of unwanted kittens and puppies.
Besides preventing unwanted litters, spaying and neutering your pet will actually make him healthier and happier! Neutering a male cat "may" stop him from spraying. Spaying a female reduces the chances of cancer. The pluses of spaying and neutering far outweigh not doing it. "But I have a male cat, he can't have kittens!" Come on now, it takes two and you must do YOUR part. Un-neutered male cats will fight with other males, once again causing harm to each other and possibly death.
Roadie's new Mom was kind enough to send me this photo! She is doing GREAT!
Please, please, SPAY and NEUTER!!!!! Don't "litter"!!!!
Excellent link to raising orphaned kittens: The Pet Center
Read about Roadie and Oreo inHighway Litter...Animal Cruelty"
For heartwarming stories on the rest of the "family" visit Cat Tails
Email franb222 at embarqmail.com (use normal @ sign in email)
For a wealth of cat related information please visit Meowhoo.com
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