Tips for Fostering Kittens

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Bedding:

• Young kittens should be kept in a box lined with absorbent paper towels or pee pads.

• lt's very important to keep the kittens warm and dry; use a heating pad covered with a towel to keep the kittens between 80 and 90 degrees.

• You can also include a stuffed animal with the kittens, as the toy may help them feel more comfortable.

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Feeding: 

• lf kittens are under five weeks of age and unable to eat solid food, they will need to be bottle-fed with kitten formula every two to four hours.

• Kittens with difficulty suckling from a bottle can also be syringe-fed.

• Massage the belly to stimulate digestion, and use a moistened cotton ball or soft tissue to encourage elimination after each feeding.

• Use formula or kitten milk replacer whenever possible.

• Homemade formula made with cow's or goat's milk should only be used in an emergency.

  • Blend eight ounces of milk with three egg yolks, one tbsp. corn oil, and a pinch of salt, and heat until warm to the touch, but not too hot. 

• Begin weaning around four weeks old.

  • Mix canned kitten food with kitten formula and hand feed until the kittens are accustomed to eating on their own.

  • Then, gradually change over completely to canned kitten food. ​

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Cleaning & Care: 

• The mother usually cleans the babies during the first few weeks, so you will have to take on this task.

• Once old enough, most kittens know instinctively to use a litter box; you can also encourage this behavior by placing each kitten in the center of a litter box and using her paw, gently showing her how to dig at the litter.

• Kittens are susceptible to upper respiratory infections (URIs) and diseases, such as feline herpes virus and calicivirus.

  • Symptoms include sneezing, coughing, and nasal and eye discharge.

  • A mild case can be treated by providing a warm environment, cleaning the eye and nose areas, and using a vaporizer.

  • Antibiotics will not help treat URls, which are viral infections, but are sometimes used to combat secondary bacterial infections.

  • Conjunctivitis of the eyes requires constant cleaning with moist, warm cotton balls and application of Terramycin or Chlorasone a few times per day directly in the eyes.

  • lf left untreated, upper respiratory infections can cause severe health problems, including  neumonia, blindness, or even death.

  • lf a kitten needs to be medicated, use liquid medicine in moist food, or crush tablets into baby food (meat flavor only, no garlic ingredients). Whole tablets should not be administered to a feral kitten because it may cause trauma and can undo the taming process. lt also increases the risk of one being bitten.