kitten rescue guide
things to know when adopting an orphaned kitten
‘I have lived with several zen masters- all of them cats.’- Eckhart Tolle
If you can't save all of them doesn't mean you shouldn't try
Did you come across a kitten crying for help, and you are not sure what do next? Sadly, a lot of kittens are being abandoned, and although some cats may abandon their kittens for several reasons (which happens very rarely), humans can also be responsible for the separation. A kitten smaller than 2-3 weeks old has a low chance of survival without its mother, they require a lot of special care, so if you come across kittens make sure you inform yourself first, so you can be the best pawrent.
Here’s a list of what to do step by step in order to help the kitten:
1.Wait and observe
2. Take them to the vet
3. Keep them warm
4. Feed them special kitten formula
5. Stimulate them to go to the bathroom
6.Give them something fluffy to cuddle up with
7. Play them music
8.Love them unconditionally
1.Wait and observe
It is recommended to wait for a few hours before you move the kittens, so that you can know for sure that the kittens are abandoned. Cats may leave for larger amounts of time to look for food, missing for up to 4-5 hours. So if the kittens are in a safe space, don’t move them, don’t touch them, and come back later to check up on them.
2.Take them to the vet
Once you’ve made sure the kittens need your intervention, take them to the vet to check if they are alright. Ask the veterinarian any questions that you have. Kittens’ immune system is not fully developed, as a result they are prone to infections, especially respiratory and eye infections, so closely follow the vet’s instructions if you need to administer any medication. Don’t hesitate to ask twice if you didn’t understand something!
3.Keep them warm
Kittens younger than five weeks old are not able to self-regulate their temperature, which means that they are fully dependent on a heat source. Heat for them is vital, so find the best solution to warm up the kitten. You can buy a heating pad or a heated bed that your new furry friend will love and appreciate. A quick solution is to fill up a bottle with warm water and place it next to the kitten, but you’ll have to make sure to replace it/ reheat it every few hours. It is crucial to warm up your kitten before feeding it, because when having a low body temperature kittens are unable to digest food. It is life-threatening for a kitten to be fed when chilled! If you don’t know how old the kitten is check out Kitten Lady, an amazing blog and YouTube channel that helped me out a lot!
4. Feed them special kitten formula
Kittens are not able to digest cow’s milk, so buy kittens formula and test to see if it’s appropriate for you kitten. Be patient and try different bottles, or if bottles don’t work, try a syringe. Read the instructions written on the formula and follow them.
5. Stimulate them to go to the bathroom
If the kitten you found is younger than 3-4 weeks old, it won’t be able to pee or poop on his own. Naturally, the kittens are being stimulated to pee or poop by their mothers, but don’t worry, you can take a cotton ball and damp it with warm water and then stimulate the kitten with circular motions, be gentle and patient. Repeat the process several times a day, after you feed them. You can start introducing the litter box by holding them over litter box every time you stimulate them, this way they will know where to go when they grow up.
6. Give them something fluffy to cuddle up with
Kittens will feel stressed without their mother and will cry often, but you can help them feel better by placing something fluffy in their bed like a rolled up blanket or a stuffed animal.
7. Play them music
Another way of soothing a kitten is playing music for them to fall asleep on. Search “calming cat music” on YouTube and try different playlists, don’t panic if doesn’t work right away, wait 10 minutes before switching songs, and if songs don’t work try purring sounds or white noise.
8. Love them unconditionally
After you took care of all the above all you are left with is pure love, although it is very hard to take care of young kittens, the bound you create with them is stronger. It will get easier in a few weeks and you will be left with memories you will cherish forever and fluffy adorable best friend
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