Newborn Kittens

Newborn kittens may be born fully furred but they aren t done growing once they leave their mother s womb.

Newborn kittens. The kittens should be developing rapidly and if the mother is going to have any postpartum problems it will happen during that period. The first week of a kitten s life is full of major changes and growth. They rely on mom for everything. Newborn kittens should get all of their nutrition from their mother.

Picking a breeder can be a fairly important choice. Be very careful when handling a newborn kitten. The first milk produced called colostrum is rich in antibodies and will help protect kittens against diseases. Learn more about newborn kittens in our kitten guide.

When kittens are first born they are helpless they cannot see hear keep. This will continue until they gradually transition to solid foods when they are around four weeks old weaning. When kittens are first born they are completely helpless their eyes are closed their ears are folded and they can t stand keep themselves warm or eat on their own. Like a human baby a newborn kitten will need to be fed frequently approximately every two to three hours.

Newborn kittens might require surrogate care for numerous factors. As a rule of thumb for every ounce of kitten body weight he or she needs 8 ccs of formula. So a kitten weighing 3 ounces will need about 24 ounces of milk replacement every 24 hours. The first two to three weeks are the most crucial for a mother cat and her newborn kittens.

If you have a litter of kittens it s a good idea to know what to watch for as well as know what you can do to help your kitten get off to a good start in life. At about three to four weeks old they can be offered milk replacer from a bowl and then small amounts of moistened kitten food four to six times a. These antibodies last for six weeks or more. Let the mother cat set the pace for your attention.

Darling as a newborn. Newborn kittens may nurse about every 1 2 hours. If she has been your pet for a while she may welcome your visits. The breeder should observe how most of the kids interact with one another and their own parents.