Kittens Needs And How To Take Care Of Them

A New Litter of Kittens

 All pet health is important, but those pets that are new to this world may need a little extra care and attention to keep them safe and healthy. If your cat has recently had a litter of kittens, you are automatically a second mother to those adorable little additions. It is up to you to make sure that you provide the best healthy living environment possible for those new little bundles of life as they grow during their kitten hood.

During the first few days the kittens’ life, the mother cat will spend the majority of her time being with them. This is natural and to be expected.  To aid her in this, you should move her food and water close to her so that she doesn’t have to move far to find nourishment.  Check the mommy cat a few times a day just to make sure that she is producing milk and feeding the kittens properly.

If your find the mother cat does not stay with her kittens, it may be an indication that something is wrong. First-time mothers are especially prone to bouts of anxiety.  An indication the mother cat is worried about her kittens may be if she moves them or hides them often.  She may feel threatened (even by you) and it could cause her to kill them as a form of protecting them.  If you feel the mother cat may be exhibiting anxious qualities, closely monitor her activity with them.  You may even have to consider keeping her caged.

Kittens Need To Stay Warm.

Kittens need a very warm atmosphere in order to thrive. If the mother cat does not stay with them, you may need to supply heat from some outside source. Large litters will typically stay warmer, by using their combined body heat for warmth. Keep the temperature where the newborn kittens are about 85-90°F for at least the first week of life.  Mother cats may also feel that their kittens are in danger if there is too much light around.  A solution is to place a blanket over the  box which may help relieve some of the mother cat’s anxiety.

Kittens Mostly Eat And Sleep When Born

Do not be too alarmed if they do not move around much at first. For the first two weeks of life, they sleep, eat, then sleep again to about 90% of the time. Crying their little ‘me-ows’ is also common especially when the mother leaves for any length of time.   If the kittens cry excessively, maybe they are not getting enough to eat or they may be sick. The best idea is to call your veterinarian if you feel this may be the problem.

You may want to call your vet for special instructions if there are more than 5 kittens in the litter.  In that case, mother may not be able to supply enough milk to feed all the kittens.

In general, the best thing to do with a new litter is to seek advice from your vet.  He can tell you what to expect and how to handle any situation that may come up.  Kittens are cute, sweet and are also fragile.  Be cautious in handling them and in dealing with them.  After all it is not only your mother cat’s responsibility to keep them healthy and safe.  In a way, you are their mother too because they are part of your family.