Your Responsibilities as a Surrogate Mother
Raising new-born kittens may be challenging, time-consuming, immensely rewarding, and traumatic.
If you don’t have the time or the mental stamina to deal with the potential of losing kittens, you might engage qualified professionals to undertake the task. However, if your broken heart is capable of caring for abandoned children, go ahead. But be sure you can fit them all in.
Biological or a surrogate mother?
The mother cat will continue take care of the kittens even if they are stray. Make a time for a quick veterinarian exam to ensure everyone is healthy. Give the mother cat some fresh food and water after that, and observe her tend to the kittens’ grooming and nursing needs. The rest is up to her.
However, if your kittens arrived without their mother, things become more difficult. You must provide for the kittens’ basic requirements now that you are the mother. This first requires round-the-clock care, just like a newborn infant you’ve just brought home.
Initial veterinary visit
Your veterinarian should examine a stray baby as quickly as possible. Feral cat litters are more prone to flea and other parasite infestations because they lack the mother cats’ natural defenses provided by vaccines. Orphaned kittens could need to have their shots in as little as two to three weeks. Additionally, if a kitten displays signs of distress including prolonged cooling, watery eyes, a runny nose, lethargy, or an inability to eat, a veterinarian should be consulted right soon.
Build a Nest
The next thing your surrogate needs to do is build a nest for your kittens. Make use of a sizable cat bed with bumper sides or just a cardboard box with some clean clothes inside. Make sure your nest has sides to stop the babies from falling out in any scenario. The litter is encouraged to keep together as a result so they can continue to receive the warmth their mother would normally provide them.
As chilly kittens might die quickly, make sure the nest is placed in a warm area of your house. For the first few weeks, you might need to supplement the heat with a heating pad set on low. Wrap this pad in a large towel and place it in the base of the nest. Make sure the nursery has a separate, non-heated room as well. The cats will naturally gravitate to this area if the temperature rises.
Feeding Young Kittens
For the first two weeks, you will need to bottle-feed the entire litter several times each day. Invest in a bottle, nipples, or eyedropper made specifically for kittens. According to the instructions on the kitten formula, feeding by weight should be done. Little babies may need up to twelve feedings each day, so you should set an alarm for night feedings and invite a family member to help. You can feed bottles to a cat on your lap while lounging in a warm towel. He should be placed on his stomach, with the nipple exposed to encourage sucking. Feed each kitten until they are satisfied and no longer exhibit any appetite.
At three weeks old, the infants can start eating solid food from a plate. Blend kitten food and canned formula in a blender until a thick liquid-like consistency is achieved. After priming each cat, lead them to the saucer by putting a tiny bit of the concoction onto your fingertip. As the kittens grow fond of their mush, lessen the amount of formula in the mixture until they are consuming soft canned food without alteration. Currently, your kittens are also able to drink water out of a bowl. But if the trash plays in the water for a bit before deciding to drink, don’t be surprised.
Eventually, your kittens will switch to a premium brand of dry kitten food. Given that their tummies are so small, give them four or five tiny meals per day.
Fostering Newborn Kittens
The mother kitten takes a number of actions to ensure the welfare of her offspring and to promote a sense of family. If you are the boss, you are in charge of these responsibilities.
Mother cats encourage their young to urinate by wiping their butts with her tongue. You can encourage the same elimination cycle in every cat by holding each one (with a towel over your lap first) and petting it gently with a warm washcloth. The butt and abdomen should be treated with the same method. You’ll soon stop needing to do this since you’ll be rewarded with a bowel movement after each meal.
When you brush and rub your newborn kittens, you are simulating the mother cat’s natural bonding habits. Use a soft baby brush or towel to gently rub your kittens’ backs and tummies to remove any dirt or excrement from their bodies. Give kittens gentle touches and massages to help them become used to you and their new surroundings.
Instructions for a litterbox
Kittens quickly adjust to the litter box, much like ducks to water. Use a low-sided box for training; the shoebox lid works wonderfully. A non-clumping, pellet litter works best for inexperienced beginners because the clumping sort can irritate their tummies if they swallow it. Once the kittens can eat on their own, put each one in the box 15 minutes after feeding. Scratching the litter with your finger will help you explain what it is all about. Let them be once they jump out after a few tries. If someone has an accident on the floor, pick up a small amount of feces with a shovel and put it in the container to show them where it belongs.
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If you suspect your pet is sick, call your vet immediately. For health-related questions, always consult your veterinarian, as they have examined your family pet, know the pet’s health history, and may make the best recommendations for your pet.
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