Video: How To Raise Just-Born Kittens

Taking care of new born kittens is a lot of fun but also requires a lot of work. Ideally, kittens should be nursed by their mothers until they are eight weeks but in case of a rescue or the death of the mother cat, human intervention is needed for them to survive. This video will give you some helpful tips on how to raise newborn cats properly. All the advice from the video can be broken down into three main topics:

1. Feeding – To feed the kittens, you will need some kind of feeding device. If possible, use a bottle and teat set that is specifically designed for kittens. Never feed a cold kitten. You can tell if a kitten is cold when the pads of her paws or the inside of her mouth feels cold. If she is too cool, that means that her digestion is sluggish and the milk will sit in her stomach and ferment. Wrap the kitten in a towel and hold her close to your body or put a heating pad under her blankets to get her warm first.

2. Handling – Handle them very gently because they are still very fragile. Provide a warm and dry place for them to sleep in. If the mother is not around, put a heating pad under their blankets but make sure that they can get away from the pad if it gets too warm. Check on them often to see if they are comfortable.

3. Toileting – During their first weeks of life, kittens need help in urinating and defecating. The mother helps the cats by licking them, so you need to mimic that: Take a wet washcloth and gently rub it on the kitten’s genital region until it is able to relieve itself.

Video - How To Raise Just-Born Kittens image – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2961cK0v86c