Newborn Kittens And Mother Care
Today we ll be exploring how mother cats provide for their kittens.
Newborn kittens and mother care. The kittens should be developing rapidly and if the mother is going to have any postpartum problems it will happen during that period. Since a newborn kitten is completely dependent upon its mother for the first few weeks of life you ll need to play the role of mom if your kitten is an orphan or has been neglected by its mother. Provide a safe warm environment for her. The kittens ages whether or not the mother cat is still caring for the kittens and how healthy the kittens are.
There s nothing cuter than newborn kittens. It comes as a surprise to some people that newborn kittens actually do not go to the bathroom on their own their mother licks them to stimulate elimination and urination and to keep them nice and. So around the four week mark is a good time to begin the gradual introduction of food into her diet. Stimulate the kittens to go to the bathroom.
Weaning kittens is a process to be accomplished slowly over a period of about four to six weeks from week 4 to week 8 or 10. In fact the entire birth process for felines is incredible. A mother cat s milk provides everything a kitten needs during the first four weeks of life. Kittens not receiving adequate nutrition from the queen may cry and constantly seek the teats.
You should place the food and water near the mother and kittens. If you find a litter of kittens that have been separated from their mother then you will need to provide the things a mother cat would such as food warmth and help with toileting. Here at petplace we take pride in providing you with all of the information you need to understand and care for your cat. Let the mother cat set the pace for your attention.
Weaning kittens is a natural process the kittens and mother alike will begin around four weeks. The first two to three weeks are the most crucial for a mother cat and her newborn kittens. New kitten and mother cat care. This gives the mother cat and her kittens extra calories and nutrients.
During the time a mother cat is pregnant until a month after she s done nursing feed her a high quality kitten food. Kittens suckling well from their queen will sleep between feeds and do not need additional nutrition until three to four weeks of age. If the mother is taking care of the kittens then there is little you need to do but some things you should still look for. Newborn kittens need to feed every two to three hours.
Instead you will need to purchase kitten milk replacer sold at most pet stores or feed stores. If you have newborn kittens who ve been separated from their mother consult with a veterinarian shelter or experienced foster care giver who can help you find a new mother cat with a small litter she may be able to nurse the orphaned babies. The mother cat is best placed to care for her newborn kittens.