In the world there are many people who are willing to disinterestedly come to the rescue not only of people, but also of animals. What to do if the kittens are left without a cat? Or did someone pick up such kids on the street? How to feed kittens without a cat and what needs to be done so that such crumbs grow into full-fledged animals - this will be discussed later.
The first steps
What should be done initially so that lonely kittens feel good? In this case, you need to provide them with three critical points:
- Kids will need the so-called “nest,” that is, a place where they can sleep and spend most of their time. It must be heated, be warm.
- You also need to think about how to collect cat waste: feces and urine of babies.
- And be sure to kittens must be properly fed.
If the rules of feeding will be discussed further and everything will be described to the smallest detail, then the first two points still need to be given a little time at this stage.
Organization of the place of stay of kittens
If a monthly kitten is already more independent and does not require special conditions, then newborn babies are a completely different matter. So, you need to remember that the normal temperature of a cat’s body is within 38 º. That is why in the nest of kittens there should be such a slightly elevated temperature. To do this, you can use heating pads or electric heaters, securely hidden under several layers of fabric. Also, the place of stay of the kittens will need to be lined with a soft natural cloth (best of all - a baby flannel diaper), which will periodically need to be washed (getting rid of the waste of babies). To keep the heat in the “nest”, it is better to cover it with something wool (it could be an old grandmother’s scarf).
It is important to note that experts advise organizing the place of stay of the kids in a basin, and not in a cardboard box. And all because this container does not absorb odors and is a more hygienic option.
The main thing in feeding
It's time to figure out how to feed kittens without a cat. Initially, you need to understand what can feed these babies. Of course, you can feed them cow's milk, but experts do not recommend this. And all because the composition of cow and cat milk are significantly different. It is very important. So, cat's milk in its composition has a lot more protein, fats, as well as ash substances. It is these elements that are important for the proper growth and development of kittens left without a mother.
Cat mixes
Milk substitute for kittens is available at the store. This is the best option. However, this may not be available to everyone. In this case, you must prepare the mixture yourself. Moreover, this is not a problem. After all, there are many different recipes on how to do this.
- It is necessary to dissolve the egg yolk in half a liter of cow's milk, as well as about 4 tsp. granulated sugar.
- Mix 50 ml of boiled and 50 ml of whole cow's milk, add half the egg yolk and 1 tsp. corn vegetable oil.
- Mix 50 ml of whole cow's milk with 15 g of the same milk in powder form. Add a little more than 2 g of dry yeast to this.
- In a broth of fennel, dilute milk in powder form to the consistency of viscous slurry. There you can add a little cream to increase the fat content of the mixture.
- Dilute a glass of 10% cream with boiled water in a consistency of 1: 2.
All these recipes can be used without fear, because these mixtures are easily tolerated by kittens. However, it is important to remember: food prepared in advance should not be stored for more than a day (of course, in the refrigerator). And, of course, the food for kittens should be warmed up to a temperature of 38 ° C immediately before feeding.
Rules for feeding kittens
Understanding how to feed kittens without a cat, you must also know the nutritional schedule of such babies. So, ideally, they should eat every one and a half to two hours. It is worth noting that at the same time it is also possible to change the heating pad or bottle to the crumbs. So, what is the best nutritional schedule for kittens ?
- The first two weeks of babies need to be fed strictly every two hours throughout the day and always at night.
- The next 10 days (until about three weeks old crumbs) they need to be fed every 2-3 hours in the daytime, at night it will be enough 1 or 2 times.
- From the 25th to the 35th day, babies can already be fed every 2.5-3 hours during the day, one night is given for night feeding.
If you have to feed the kitten with milk, you need to remember that this will take about 20-30 minutes of personal time. And so every two hours.
How to feed kittens?
Learning how to feed kittens without a cat, you must take care of how the kids will receive milk or the prepared mixture. To do this, there are a variety of options, verified by a considerable number of people:
- A pipette from which milk is dosed and the kitten can safely swallow the dose. So, the baby is placed on his left hand, in a half-sitting position, on the back. It is important to remember that with the mixture in the mouth of the kitten should not get air, it is harmful.
- Milk substitute for kittens for babies can also be served through an ordinary syringe (note: without a needle!). The liquid should fall into the mouth of the crumbs on one division. This is a great option also because a kitten can suck a syringe like a nipple, in size it is as similar as a cat.
- The spoon. However, there is a big risk that in this case, the sucking reflex will disappear in the babies, and they absolutely will not be able to eat normally further.
- And, of course, it’s easiest to use special nipples for kittens, which you can buy in pet stores. However, it should be noted that they are not intended for newborn babies, but for kittens that can be fed. There you can buy small bottles that are designed for the amount of food consumed by just the kids. It is important to note that such nipples for kittens are acquired once, they do not need to be changed. But only if they were not damaged during the nutrition process.
The volume of food for kittens
Considering the various options for how to feed a newborn kitten without a cat, it should also be noted that it is important to observe the correct dosage of food. After all, if you give the kitten too much food, he will overeat, and if not enough, then, accordingly, he will remain hungry.
- In the first five days, you need to prepare 30 ml of the mixture for every 100 g of kitten (dosage for a day).
- Further, until two weeks of age, 38 ml should be given for every 100 grams of weight.
- From the 14th to the 24th day: 45 ml per day per 100 grams of weight.
- 25-55th day: 55 ml per 100 grams of kitten per day.
The dose is calculated from these indicators and is divided into the number of feedings. It may vary. However, it must be clarified that it is better to feed the kittens more often, but in smaller portions, as is the case with humans.
About nutrition problems
Sometimes people look for information on how to teach a kitten to drink milk. You won’t have to do this unless you initially “kill” the sucking reflex in the baby. That is why it is best to feed him from a 2-cc syringe, as noted above. However, 2-ml syringes do not have a smooth stroke, as a result, it is difficult to squeeze the mixture, or it flows out too much. In addition, the mixture cools quickly. In this case, you can take a syringe for insulin, and put the jar with the mixture on the battery, and fill the syringe several times.
However, the time comes when kittens must be taught to eat on their own, without the help of people. In this case, you just need to put a bowl of milk in front of the baby and dip a little face into the food. The kitten licks and feels the taste of milk. Then he will try to scoop it out with his own tongue. A few attempts, and the baby begins to understand how to independently eat milk. However, this may not work out right away. In this case, you have to feed the kitten also from the nipple.
How does a kitten develop?
Well, at the very end you need to tell a little bit that a monthly kitten can already. So, according to studies carried out in the distant 1969, the following behavioral forms are visible in cat babies:
- Toddlers open their eyes around the 12th day of their life.
- On the 20th-22nd day, kittens begin to walk.
- At the same time, the kids begin to wash themselves, lick.
- They begin to climb somewhere on the 25th day.
- And at the age of one month they already play with great pleasure both with themselves and with people.
- Aggression in kittens begins to appear around the 52-55th day of their life.
Depending on these indicators, you can see whether all kittens are developing normally, and whether any of the litter has deviations.