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Things to look out for/checklist when you find a kitten:

  1. Check temperature and activity levels - Details (HYPERLINK)
  2. Feeding - Detailed Feeding instructions (HYPERLINK)
  3. Stimulation - Detailed stimulation instructions (incomplete) (HYPERLINK)
  4. Supplements - Details (incomplete) (HYPERLINK)

Basic checklist of items

  1. Kitten milk replacer – Ventripro is the preferred brand. This brand is preferred over others at the time of documenting.
  2. Feeder or syringe
  3. Safe space for kittens to rest - a box lined with clean cloth placed on another piece of cloth (this works for the climate in Kerala, but a heating pad needs to be used when the temperature drops below 20 degree Celsius)
  4. Heating pad – Kittens cannot thermoregulate and therefore need assistance. Alternatives include heating up rice and placing it in a sock. Ensure they are not too hot before placing them near your kitten.
  5. Soft tissues/cloth. These tissues can be used to stimulate a kitten before and after each meal.

Comprehensive checklist of items

  1. Weighing scale – Kittens need to be weighed every day or every alternate day to ensure that they are gaining weight. Kittens grow very rapidly at this age.
  2. Colostrum – Immunos is the preferred brand. The mother cat’s milk normally contains this and therefore this needs to be replaced in kittens less than 10 days old. Take as advised by the vet.
  3. Electrolytes – Kittens tend to get dehydrated quickly. There’s a quick check you can do to determine if your kitten is dehydrated. Always administer after consulting with a vet.

Detailed instructions

Temperament

Kittens at this are active. They wake up to eat and they’re off to sleep again. They respond well to stimuli. A kitten at this age is also vocal. If you notice any lethargy please consult a vet.

Temperature

Kittens at this age cannot thermoregulate. Your body heat is not sufficient to heat up a hypothermic kitten. It is always advised to use a heating pad. Do not feed a hypothermic kitten, because this can result in bloating, aspiration or even death.

Feeding

Supplies

  • Pet bottle / syringe without needle - Pet bottles do not come with the hole pierced in it. Make sure you pierce it and ensure that the milk passes through the hole.
  • Kitten Milk Replacer - Here are the brands that we have tested. Here is a list of places in kochi where you can purchase KMR within the city. A KITTEN SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN MILK, DAIRY ALTERNATIVES OR INFANT MILK. In case kitten milk replacer is temporarily unavailable, it can be administered, but it should be replaced with milk as soon as possible. Cow’s milk should be diluted in a 1:3 ratio ( 1 portion milk, 3 portions water). Please contact the helpline in these instances. LIST (HYPERLINK)

Steps on how to feed a kitten

  • Prepare the formula according to the package instructions. Make sure there are no lumps. Make sure the temperature is not hot, but also not cold.
  • Temperature and activity level : Never Feed a Hypothermic(cold) kitten! Make sure that the kitten is moving her head. Do not feed a kitten that is not moving. Make sure that the kitten is able to swallow milk. Check to see if the kitten is suckling on your finger. Place a drop of milk on her tongue to make sure she is swallowing.

Stimulation

  • Take a soft tissue and rub the kitten’s bottom extremely gently in a circular motion for 30 seconds before or after each feeding.
  • Clean the area with some warm water.
  • A healthy kitten will poop 1-2 times a day.
  • Do not overstimulate the kitten. Keep the stimulation unde a minute.

Supplements

  • Visuid - instructions on it
  • Samolac/ lactal - mix it ventripro
  • Electrolytes - if kitten is fading - odelyte

Things to watch out for

Fur and Skin

Please check for wounds or fleas and ticks. Check with the vet on seeing anything unusual.

Breathing

A kitten should be breathing through her/his nose. If he/she is breathing through the mouth please consult a vet immediately.

Eyes

Kittens open their eyes at 10 days old. Do not touch their eyes before this stage. Check for any discharge. Please consult a vet if you notice anything unusual. If there is nothing unusual you can clean the eyes of regular discharge using a cotton pad dipped in sterile water. It is important to gently dab and apply no pressure whatsoever.

Urine & feces

The urine should be pale yellow and any alterations could imply that the kitten is dehydrated. You can supplement her diet with electrolytes. The poop is mustard yellow and needs to be well formed.

Common afflictions

Bloating

Your kitten could be bloated for a myriad of reasons from constipation, worms to FPV. Please consult your vet if bloating persists for more than 12 hours.

Diarrhea

Administer electrolytes and medicines as prescribed by the vet. The electrolytes need to be fed in addition to the KMR.

Constipation

Kittens need to poop at least once a day. Please consult your vet if the kitten doesn't poop for over a day. They will prescribe a laxative. Please don’t administer one yourself. Always check with your vet about the brand and quantity. Every situation is different and your vet is equipped to guide you appropriately.

Worms

Always weigh the kitten and check with the vet about the quantity of dewormer.

Fever

Please consult your vet as soon as possible. If this will take time, then you can check with the vet over the phone and administer electrolytes in the meanwhile.

FIP/FPV

It is imperative that you follow the vet’s advice in these situations about diet. Check with them about supplements and supplementing with electrolytes.

Skin diseases

It is important to always consult a vet about any scab or wound you see. The doctor needs to test the sample and determine whether it is bacterial, fungal or otherwise. Please insist that the sample be analyzed by the vet. Some vets tend to forgo this, and it is imperative that we stick to knowing instead of making assumptions.

First time vet visit

Here are some of the things to keep in mind while visiting a vet.

  1. Always ask for an analysis of the poop sample. There are different types of worms and parasites. A regular dewormer might be potent against all types.
  2. Check for fleas and ticks.