Dealing With Orphan Kittens - Part 2

By Betty Sleep

Hand-rearing kittens is not an easy task. At times you can’t get them to accept a nipple either on a bottle or syringe. This may call for tube feeding, which is not an exercise for the novice or faint-hearted. You must have veterinary instruction on the proper procedure, and also the cleaning and sterilising of the tubes or other equipment.

Another difficulty you may run into, which is common with formula fed kittens is constipation. It may be necessary to give them an additional “feed” or two, with plain sterile water. If they do become constipated, and it goes on for too long, they can develop a condition called megacolon, in which the bowel is overstretched and after it is relieved, does not function normally. One solution is to use a small amount of a hairball paste, dissolved in some warm water, and fed by bottle or syringe, once a day. This may help to keep the stools loose enough to be passed.

On the other hand, diarrhea can mean a kitten’s life. As the bowel grows, the nature of the flora in it changes as well. At times the bacterias that are natural and unnatural become unbalanced, and diarrhea results. If the loose stools are particularly foul in smell, or accompanied by vomiting, you need veterinary assistance. A small kitten dehydrates very fast, and may require subcutaneous fluids, as well as supplementing with electrolytes, to restore the body’s balance of fluids. It may also require antibiotic treatment if a fecal check shows cause for concern.

At 3-4 weeks of age, you can start to introduce wet solid food. One of the keys to doing this, is to warm it just slightly, since the kittens are used to warm formula, and/or mother’s milk.

Since they have no concept of table manners to start, and usually will try and suck at the food, you can try pureeing the food in a blender until it is a very soft mush, or you can simply mash it well with either some warm water, or warm formula. Some people prefer to start their kittens out on a human baby cereal mixed with warm formula. However pablum does not have any nutritional value for a cat, whereas the canned food is what they are going to be eating from now on, and early introduction does no harm. Another “first food” choice is soaked kitten chow, that is mashed up. This is alright as well, but the canned is easier to feed, and they tend to gravitate to it faster.

Put only a teaspoon per kitten on a low saucer that they can reach or walk in if they wish. (And they usually do.) Dip your finger in it, and hold it under their nose. If they show no interest, wipe it on their mouth. If licking their lips has got their attention, offer them more on your finger. Once they start taking the food off your finger, you can lower your hand toward the saucer, until eventually you end up with the finger in the food, and they are eating from the dish. Things may be very messy for a while, and you will need to keep feeding them by bottle until it is apparent that they are eating at fairly regular intervals, and no longer need your assistance. A small, low saucer/bowl of formula helps bridge the gap between being fed and independent eating. Don’t leave canned food or formula out too long, particularly in warm weather. Take it up, and the next time you offer food (which should be four times a day for young kittens) put it on clean dishes. At this time, you should also have a dish of kitten chow out. They will play in it, and with it for a while. But eventually the smell and occasional nibble will lead them to eating it.

Now that they are eating, the next challenge is litterbox training. There are two “camps” on this, one which says the mother trains them, and the other insists it is instinct. Both are right in some respects. A cat has a natural aversion to leaving its waste uncovered. But without an example, it takes them longer for this instinct to kick in. Much like a baby, young kittens can be placed in a litterbox of clay litter, after they have a full stomach, which is likely to trigger the bowel reflex. You can also use a damp facecloth to stimulate their bowels, and when they start going, set them down in the litterpan. Do not use clumping litter at this time. Small kittens will try and eat almost anything, and the clumping litter turns into a cement-like material that can block their bowels and cause serious problems.

It may be wise to keep your weaning kittens in an area that has an easily cleaned floor, until they learn the litterbox is where they go. If you find that they have chosen a particular spot on the floor to do their business, clean it thoroughly with something that will kill the odour, and then place a small pan of litter in that exact spot. This often moves the training process along a bit faster, as they know the spot, have to go, and seeing the litter it comes to them by instinct. You can then gradually move this extra pan closer to their main litter pan, a little bit every day.

Now that they are on the go, is the time to provide your toddlers with acceptable clawing and climbing material. One of the barrels covered in carpet is excellent for hide and seek, and also claw sharpening, before they are turned loose into the house with furniture.

If you have been rearing a litter, or even two kittens, you have done well to this point, and can start to relax. However, if you have been dealing with a singleton, there are a few more challenges.

A lone kitten is much harder to train, as they have no example to follow. It is best to integrate these orphans into another litter or small group of kittens as soon as possible. In order to do this, they must be vaccinated first. If they have received no colostrum from their mother, they are particularly vulnerable. The Pfizer company makes an intranasal vaccine called Felomune CVR, which can be used as young as three weeks. This protects against calicivirus and herpes virus only, not panleukopenia, which is a vaccine that cannot be given under eight weeks.

If you have a litter of kittens that are perhaps seven weeks old, and a singleton who is three weeks old, they would all need to have the intranasal vaccine before being integrated. This can be done 2-3 days after administering the vaccine. If you waited another week for the older litter to turn eight weeks and have their first injectable vaccine, they would need to wait up to ten days for it to take effect, and the single kitten would still need the intranasal. Doing this will put the normal vaccination schedule of 8 and 12 weeks for the older kittens, back a bit. But it is a small price to pay, when you are trying to avoid socialization and other problems with a single orphan. The regular shots can resume three weeks after the intranasal, or when the kitten(s) reach eight weeks of age.

About the Author:

I am an obedience instructor, kennel owner, and ten year breeder/exhibitor of Golden Retriever dogs. Over the years I have experienced the best and worst of pet buying and selling, and responsibility/irresponsibility on the part of both breeders and buyers.

That, combined with my other hobby of breeding Birman cats, which I also show, and have placed in several countries, gives me a fairly comprehensive overview of pet care, ownership, training, feeding, and health issues.

Article courtesy of Suite101.com.