You may find the info below of some use.
CLEANING & TOILETING
To substitute (or the constant licking action of the mother cat. the kittens should be wiped over after each meal with a warm, damp flannel and then thoroughly dried. They must be encouraged to pass urine and faeces by washing the abdomen and anal region with a piece of cotton wool. In the case of two or more kittens, record "~'s information on your growth chart so .at you can check at a glance that they are all 'functioning' properly as constipation or diarrhoea can be a problem.
CONSTIPATION & DIARRHOEA
Constipation and diarrhoea are frequently mis-diagnosed and wrongly treated by kitten/cat owners. If your kitten is unwell you must consult a veterinary surgeon as soon as possible.
ROUNDWORMS & EXTERNAL PARASITES
Roundworms can be a danger to young kittens. They may show quite severe symptoms of poor growth, abdominal distension and sometimes even fits. It is best to treat them at around 4 weeks and at intervals suggested by your vet from whom you should obtain the wormer.
You should also give each kitten a thorough overhaul for external parasites such as fleas, ticks, lice, ear mites and consult a veterinary surgeon if you suspect any of these.
TRANSMISSION OF DISEASE
Disease is transmitted when pathogens (organisms which can carry disease) leave one animal and enter another. This transmission may be direct, as in the case of respiratory disease viruses, which shoot out of one animal in a sneeze and are breathed in by another. Sometimes only a small dose is necessary to infect a large number of other cats. A large dose is needed if the animal has already some resistance against the disease
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RECOGNITION OF DISEASE
Early recognition of disease is paramount and can play an important part in the control of it. Probably the most common in kittens is Cat 'Flu, Feline Enteritis and FIV. Early signs of these can include:
Lethargy, difficulty in moving, lack of co-ordination
Loss of appetite
High temperature
Vomiting, diarrhoea, dysentery (this is diarrhoea accompanied by the passage of blood) Prominent third eyelid (the pink membrane in the corner of the eye)
Discharge from eyes
Respiratory signs - sneezing, nasal discharge, coughing
Abnormal respiration – the breathing may be slow or accelerated, deep or shallow or be carried out with difficulty
Discharge from anus or reproductive system
Veterinary advice must be sought at an early stage since this will enable the vet to treat the kitten promptly and take appropriate preventative measures to help other kittens that may be at risk.
ISOLATION & HYGIENE
When a kitten does fall sick, it is imperative it is isolated as far as possible from other kittens. Only one person must attend to it as the hand of a person cleaning the pen or handling sick kitten may act as a carrier of pathogenic organisms. Any protective clothing such as aprons, gloves etc., should be kept separate and hands should be washed thoroughly after touching the kitten. All feeding utensils must be sterilised and kept separate from other feeding bottles and the pen and bedding must be kept scrupulously clean.
CARING FOR SICK KITTENS
A veterinary surgeon should be consulted over sick kittens as soon as possible. Although the diagnosis and treatment of disease is the responsibility of the veterinary profession, it falls on the owner to nurse the sick animal. Nursing involves a number of tasks. The kitten should be as comfortable as possible and every effort should be made to sustain this. The important points are as follows:
Warmth
If a sick kitten becomes cold, it will expend energy in trying to raise its body temperature. As a result, its reserves of nutrients may become exhausted. At the same time, low temperatures may subject the kitten to secondary infections.
New born kittens may need special attention and in some cases they may have to be hand reared; in others, the mother's care may be inadequate and extra attention may be required. If this situation arises, every attempt should be made to find a foster mother quickly. If this is not possible, there is no alternative other than to hand rear them. Rearing a large litter can be very demanding for the average household but if the time can be sacrificed to give at least two weeks of constant care, the task can be an extremely rewarding one, since orphan kittens often grow up to be strong healthy cats. The number of kittens in a litter can be between 3 and 7, although the average is 3 or 4. They are born with their eyes closed and do not start to open them until they are about 12 days old. Once the kittens are born, the mother cat would normally wash all her litter and settle down to sleep, keeping the kittens warm and leaving them only for very short periods. This is why, when dealing with orphans, warmth is of great importance. New born kittens are small, with a relatively large surface area, and they will lose heat very rapidly. If this happens, they will become torpid, Muse to eat, dehydrate and will eventually die.
Extra warmth may be provided in a number of ways - radiators, electric heaters or hot water bottles, but heated pads are the best option as they maintain a heat of around 80° to 90°F (27° to 32°C). Insulation is very important. A cardboard box with high sides can make an excellent bed and newspaper can help to conserve the heat.
It is very important that whatever form of warmth is provided, the temperature is maintained and there is sufficient room for the kittens to move away from the heat if they become too hot. Any bedding, i.e. towels, must be changed daily.
MOTHER'S MILK SUBSTITUTE
Cow's milk alone is not sufficiently rich in protein to act as a substitute for the mother's milk. CIMICAT, which can be purchased from a pet shop, is a complete milk food formulated to act as a replacement or supplement to the mother's milk. It can be given with an eyedropper or a Catac Foster Feeding Bottle, which again can be purchased from a veterinary surgery or pet shop. Whichever feeding method is used, it is very important that you have control over the flow of milk and that you take your time to feed each kitten very slowly, otherwise the milk will enter their lungs and cause pneumonia. Although young kittens may be very hungry, they are often reluctant to feed so endless patience will be needed. The CIMICAT mixture should be given at approximately blood heat (101 °F).
Follow the mixing instructions on the tin carefully.
Never keep unused milk for the next feed.
Always make up fresh milk at every meal.
Keep all feeding bottles sterilised.
FEEDING PATTERN
If the kittens are healthy, they should be fed every two hours in the first two weeks, every four hours in the next two weeks, and then every six hours. Kittens should always be fed in an upward position.
QUANTITY
Quantities will vary but the kittens can be allowed as much as they are willing to take at each feed. CIMICAT has precise instructions. Take your time with feeding, allowing the kitten breathing space. Be careful not to choke the kitten and make sure that their tummies are not getting too full. As a measure of progress, a healthy kitten should gain about a third of an ounce daily in weight and should doubt its birth weight in 8-9 days. It is advisable to weigh kittens daily using kitchen scales and keep a chart of their progress.
INTRODUCING SOLID FOOD
Solid foods can be introduced from 3-4 weeks. (We suggest 4 weeks) small quantities of fresh chicken and fish are best first for a week. After this, WHISKAS KITTEN FOOD is ideal and so is HILL'S COMPLETE KITTEN FOOD. CIMICAT can continue to be given as part of the diet. Patience will be needed at first to persuade the kittens to eat solids. Start off with about a teaspoon of WHISKAS KITTEN FOOD given six times a day, and start by mashing the food with a very small amount of pre-boiled water. Gradually increase the amount but decrease to four times a day by the time they are around 7-weeks old. Continue with this until they are 12 weeks old.
Fluids
Although food is important, the provision of fluids is even more so. Dehydration and fluid loss can easily cause the death of a sick animal, especially if it has been vomiting or had diarrhoea. A sick kitten should be fed little and often. The vet will advise on quantities.
Minimum Disturbance
Any animal, which is under constant observation, will not relax and recovery may be retarded. Ensure, therefore, that only unavoidable disturbance occurs and that for the remainder of the time, the kitten is left alone.
REVIVING KITTENS
If a kitten appears to be dead but a heartbeat can be detected, it is well worth attempting revival.
Hold the kitten with the head slightly lower than the feet to allow any fluid to escape from the lungs. Rub and massage the body with a warm dry towel. At intervals, open the kitten's mouth. Make sure that the tongue is depressed and not sticking to the roof of the mouth. Blow gently, with cheeks only, to inflate the lungs and stimulate breathing. If any signs of life are seen, continue until breathing becomes regular, then as soon as possible, return the kitten to its warm bed. Before attempting to revive a lifeless kitten, check that it is not suffering from any congenital abnormality. This could be a kitten that is born with the muscular wall of the abdomen totally absent, or a cleft palate, which prevents the kitten from sucking or feeding. In the case of kittens born with these abnormalities, take them to the vet immediately.
GENERAL POINTS
Hopefully, you should have no problems raising orphans. The first 3 weeks are the hardest. After that, they are a lot of fun and bring many hours of pleasure.
Once they begin to find their feet, they wobble around the pen, venturing further from the 'nest' each day.
A litter tray should be introduced when the kittens are around 3 weeks old and they usually adapt to using it more or less straight away.
The healthiest kittens are the ones that have the advantage of proper feeding during their first weeks of life and a relatively low risk of contact with outside infections.
Kittens should be at least 8 weeks old before they are sent to new homes. It should be stressed to the kitten's new owner the importance of the kitten being neutered, vaccinated and having veterinary health check ups. The new owner should also be given details of the types of food the kitten has been fed.
Hopefully, all these things will ensure that the kitten will settle down happily in its new home.
