How to care for an abandoned newborn cat

Caring for a newborn kitten that has lost its mother for some reason is difficult but possible work. A Twitter user with the nickname @gabbylaufey know this very well. When she found a kitten on the street, she took it home and did everything to make the orphan baby grow up strong, even without the mother.

As soon as the girl started sharing her knowledge on how to take care of the little one on the social network, her profile quickly became very popular. And no wonder, because one day all this important information could save the life of a helpless pet.

O awesome.club shares with you instructions on how to breastfeed a newborn feline.

If you have found an abandoned kitten, for example, in a bush, the first thing to do is to make sure that it is really abandoned. I was close to where my little friend was lying and waited about three hours. But the little one’s mother never came back to him. So I decided to take him home. If you’re not sure whether you’ll really be able to take care of him, call vet clinics or shelters and ask if they have a foster mother who can breastfeed him. But be careful. It is not enough to leave the puppy with a cat. The feline new mommy candidate may or may not accept it. In this second case, it is normal for her to be aggressive and try to hurt you or even suffocate you. So pass the kittens a cloth that has been used by the adoptive mother, so that they can smell it. This will greatly increase the chance of acceptance.

Be gentle to begin with, as the newborn kitten is very small, fragile and will probably be very uncomfortable when touched. So it’s better to get him wrapped in a towel or washcloth.🇧🇷 As soon as the four-legged friend appears in your house, you need to prepare a kind of nest for him. Take a not-too-large box and put some cloth diapers inside, so it’s soft when he lays down. The kitten will stay in the box by itself and will need to feel cozy in its new home. You can take a hot water bottle, wrap it in a towel, so it stays warm and keeps your pet warm. Now that you’ve brought this baby into your home, you need to isolate him from other pets, no matter what they are. This “quarantine” lasts 10 days. This is explained by the fact that during this period, the cat’s body will be weak, causing the animal to not be able to survive an infection. Even if you are sure your other pets are healthy, it is necessary to isolate the kitten🇧🇷 Keep an eye on him and, in the face of any suspicion of illness, call the vet.

The next step is food. In the first days of the newborn’s life, it is necessary to feed him frequently, every 2-3 hours, until the night. It is most recommended to do this using a syringe without a needle. And what to eat?

It is strictly forbidden to give cow’s milk to the kitten. There is an appropriate product that replaces the mother cat’s milk and can be found in veterinary clinics or pet stores. The method of use and dosage are described on the packaging itself. Just follow the instructions.

There is also an alternative for those who cannot afford to buy more expensive food: common formulas for newborn children, such as Nestogeno. The description of how to use is also on the packaging. You can search the Internet for the best dosage for your puppy. It all depends on his weight. For the first week you can feed him with a syringe without a needle, but then it is better to buy a special bottle for animals, sold in pet stores. Buy a small one, which is relatively cheap — it costs around 20 reais.

How to hold the kitten during feeding

The kitten has to relieve itself, but on its own it is not yet capable. In the first few weeks of the kitten’s life, the cat stimulates the process by licking it. To encourage the kitten to go to the bathroom, you need to take a cloth and rub it under its tail. Do this until the puppy releases a clear liquid. Within 3-4 days, the first stools appear. And they are stimulated in the same way as urine. Our kitten, for example, did everything by himself, without needing any kind of stimulation. After feeding, you can pat the baby’s head. Today I did that and our puppy started purring loudly. It’s a very pleasant feeling, even more so when the kitten likes light touches and affection.

It is important to observe how your kitten is growing. At this stage, he grows and gains weight every day, but that doesn’t mean he needs to be weighed daily. Just watch how it grows. If you notice that there is an evolution, even if small, it means that he is doing well. Under no circumstances should kittens under two months be bathed. By doing this, you can cool it, drown it, or allow water to enter its ears unintentionally. And that, of course, is very bad, even for adult cats! There is no need to bathe the pets. Just use a non-alcoholic baby wipe if the kitten gets dirty.

Pet the kitten using a cloth. So he’ll think his mom is licking him.

If you suddenly notice that the kitten looks sick, has some strange discharge, or if he refuses to eat, call the vet immediately and describe the symptoms. Any problem is easier to cure in the early stages.

Know that kittens that are growing up without their mother resemble the scent of their human owner. This smell will be important to them even in the future.

To be honest, I had doubts about whether I was doing the right thing. I even wondered if I should adopt him or not. But then I realized that if you have the chance to save him, you have a kind of obligation to do so. If I left him in those bushes, he would die with no chance of surviving. Don’t be afraid to help.

We hope that the above advice can help you take great care of your four-legged orphan and that you can be a great mom or dad to him!