Our Pet’s Health is community-supported. When you buy through links on my site, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you (learn more).
TL:DR
Raising Healthy Foster Kittens: A Comprehensive Guide
Raising kittens so they not only survive but thrive is a task that anyone can undertake. This guide provides insights into the various stages of kitten care, from bottle feeding to weaning and preventive health measures.
Bottle Feeding Kittens: The transition from milk to solid food should be gradual, with kittens being fed in a position that mimics their natural feeding posture. The frequency and quantity of feeding largely depend on the kitten’s weight rather than their age.
Weaning Bottle Kittens: Around five to six weeks of age, kittens should start being introduced to solid foods. This process should be gradual and patient, starting with a gruel-like mixture and slowly reducing the water content until they’re eating wet or canned food by around eight weeks of age.
The Importance of Toileting Foster Kittens: Caregivers need to stimulate kittens to urinate and defecate until they’re about four weeks old. This process mimics the mother cat’s role in the wild and helps keep the nest clean.
The Dangers Facing Stray + Feral Kittens: Kittens born in the wild face numerous challenges, from finding enough food to avoiding predators. Caregivers can step in to provide necessary care, including feeding, cleaning, stimulating them to eliminate, and socializing them.
Why Do So Many Kittens Need Care?: The reality is that there are too many kittens and not enough homes for them all. Spaying and neutering pet cats can help control the population and ensure every kitten born has a loving home waiting for them.
Keeping Kittens Healthy: Preventive health measures play a crucial role in ensuring the well-being of kittens. Regular vaccinations, deworming treatments, and daily weight checks are important aspects of kitten care.
Remember, each kitten is unique and will progress at their own pace. Your gentle guidance will help them make these important transitions as they grow and develop.
Enter the world of foster kittens
Are you ready to unlock the secrets of raising happy and healthy foster kittens?
Look no further! In this blog post, we're diving deep into the world of fostering and nurturing adorable kittens, and we've got an expert in our corner to guide us along the way.
Imagine the joy of watching adorable, tiny creatures grow into playful and loving companions. But the journey to foster and raise kittens isn't all fuzz and purrs—it takes dedication, knowledge, and some fascinating insights into the feline world.
Luckily, we have Nancy Peterson, a seasoned pro in the realm of fostering kittens, to bring you her invaluable expertise.
Get ready to embark on a journey filled with heartwarming stories, practical tips, and eye-opening discoveries about our feline friends.
Whether you're a seasoned foster parent or a curious cat lover looking to expand your knowledge, this is the blog post for you. So, buckle up, grab your catnip, and get ready to be whisked away into the enchanting world of raising foster kittens and transforming them from scared furballs to loving family cats!
That’s the most rewarding to me. It’s taking a kitten who is frightened and doesn’t trust people and turning them into a little love bug that would just be a wonderful pet in somebody’s home.
Why do so many kittens need care?
It’s a question that might seem odd at first. After all, who doesn’t love kittens? These adorable little furballs bring so much joy and happiness into our lives. But the sad reality is, there are just too many kittens and not enough homes for them all.
Kittens born outdoors face a multitude of dangers. Despite their mother’s best efforts to protect and care for them, many kittens will not survive. This is a heartbreaking reality that we must confront.
The solution? Spaying and neutering our pet cats. This can be done as early as two months of age, or when the kitten weighs two pounds. This is a common practice in animal shelters and rescues, but it’s equally important for pet cats.
Female cats can come into heat as early as four months of age, leading to kittens having kittens. To prevent the birth of unwanted kittens, it’s best to spay female cats by five months of age.
Accidental births are more common than you might think. Time flies, and before pet owners realize it, their kitten is already six months old and capable of reproducing. Early neutering is crucial to prevent this cycle from repeating.
Unlike dogs, there are no known issues with early desexing in cats. So it’s something that should be done sooner rather than later. By doing so, we can ensure that every kitten born has a loving home waiting for them.
The Dangers Facing Stray + Feral Kittens
Imagine a kitten born in the wild or in a barn, without a caring pet parent to look out for its well-being. The challenges these kittens face in their early weeks and months of life are immense.
If the mother cat hasn’t been cared for properly, it’s likely she hasn’t had the best nutrition. This means her kittens are born without optimal prenatal care. Once born, the mother cat must find enough food to nourish herself and her kittens, all while navigating the dangers of the outdoors.
Predators, poisons, other cats, and harsh weather conditions all pose significant threats. In fact, the mortality rate for kittens in such conditions is alarmingly high, with estimates suggesting it could be as much as 65%.
Finding homes for these kittens is another challenge. If they’re born to an unsocialized mother and aren’t interacted with by humans early on, they may not be suitable as pet cats. This means finding alternative placements for them, such as stables or barns.
In many places around the world, including the United States and New Zealand, shelters and rescue organizations are overwhelmed with kittens. What was once considered ‘kitten season’ – late spring and summer – now seems to be a year-round phenomenon. This has led to a never-ending influx of kittens needing care.
Organizations like the National Kitten Coalition are working hard to address this issue. Their mission is to increase kitten survival rates through education. They provide resources to fosters, shelters, rescues, veterinary clinics, and anyone else caring for kittens to ensure these vulnerable creatures have the best chance at survival.
A Word of Warning
For all the kind-hearted Samaritans out there who stumble upon a lost kitten, your first instinct might be to feed them. However, this well-intentioned act could potentially be fatal. If a kitten is cold, their digestive system is unable to properly absorb food. Feeding them in this state could, unfortunately, lead to their demise.
So, what should you do if you find a kitten? The first and most crucial step is to warm them up. Simply holding them close to your body may not be sufficient.
The National Kitten Coalition website provides a wealth of information on critical care for kittens, including how to handle low body temperature, low blood sugar, and dehydration. We also cover how to deal with flea infestations, which can be particularly dangerous for kittens as they can lose significant amounts of blood.
Remember, while your intentions may be pure, it’s essential to approach these situations with the right knowledge and resources. Your actions could mean the difference between life and death for these vulnerable creatures.
The First Step in Raising Healthy Foster Kittens
Raising kittens so they not only survive, but thrive, is a task that anyone can undertake. The first step in raising a healthy kitten is gaining knowledge. Understanding what to do and when to do it is crucial.
Fostering kittens, especially bottle babies who need to be nursed and stimulated to urinate, can be an intensive process. Depending on their age, you may need to wake up every few hours for feeding and care. However, the rewards of fostering are immense. With the right knowledge and resources, you can transform a frightened kitten into a loving pet ready for a forever home.
Whether or not a mother cat is present can significantly impact the care required for the kittens. Mother cats teach their kittens many things, from using the litter box to moderating their play behavior with their siblings. However, if the mother cat is feral and highly stressed, it might not be fair or beneficial to keep her confined with the kittens.
In such cases, human caregivers must step in to provide the necessary care. This includes feeding, cleaning, stimulating them to eliminate, and socializing them. It’s important to remember that each kitten is unique and will progress at their own pace.
Ultimately, the goal is to raise healthy, socialized kittens who are ready for their forever homes. It’s a challenging but incredibly rewarding journey.
The Importance of Toileting Foster Kittens
Nature has a way of keeping things clean and safe. In the wild, kittens are unable to urinate and defecate on their own. This is nature’s way of keeping the nest clean and free from attracting predators. The mother cat stimulates the kittens by licking their genitals and anus, which triggers urination and defecation. She then consumes the waste, keeping the nest clean.
When humans step in to care for kittens, particularly bottle-fed babies, they need to replicate this stimulation until the kittens are about four weeks old. After this age, kittens can go to the bathroom on their own.
To stimulate a kitten, caregivers can use a soft cloth, cotton ball, or tissue. Gently make contact with the kitten’s privates and move it around in a circle until they have finished urinating and defecating. It’s important to be gentle and avoid rubbing as this can cause irritation.
Kittens will usually urinate every time they’re stimulated but may not defecate as frequently - perhaps every 12 to 24 hours, or sometimes even 36 hours depending on their diet.
Remember, it’s crucial to be gentle during this process. Over-enthusiastic stimulation can lead to soreness and discomfort for the kitten. The goal is to ensure the health and comfort of these little ones as they grow and develop.
Bottle Feeding Kittens
When it comes to feeding kittens, it's important to remember that they are not human babies. One common mistake is feeding kittens on their back. This is a definite no-no as it risks the kitten aspirating the formula, which means it could end up in their lungs instead of their stomach, leading to serious health complications.
In nature, kittens feed while on their legs, nuzzling into their mother. When bottle feeding, we should aim to replicate this natural position.
The frequency and quantity of feeding largely depend on the kitten's weight rather than their age. A poorly nourished five-week-old kitten might only have the stomach capacity of a two-week-old kitten. Nonprofit organizations like Maddie's Fund provide useful resources such as a stomach capacity chart according to the weight of the kitten. This chart can guide you on how much a kitten should eat every day and how often this should be divided into feedings.
While caring for kittens can mean sleepless nights due to frequent feedings, rest assured that it does get better as the kitten grows and their stomach capacity increases.
Weaning Bottle Kittens
When kittens reach about five to six weeks of age, it's time to start introducing solid foods. This is typically the age when a mother cat would start weaning her kittens off milk. If you're caring for kittens without a mother cat present, you'll need to step in and guide this process.
The transition to solid food should be gradual, as kittens' digestive systems are sensitive. Start by making a gruel from moist kitten food and water. The consistency should be like soup, as kittens at this stage only know how to suckle. They'll need to learn how to lap up their food from a bowl.
Introduce the gruel in a shallow dish. You can use a small spoon to offer them a taste. Once they show interest, guide them to the dish. Be prepared for messes, as kittens are not yet aware that they shouldn't step in their food.
Over time, reduce the amount of water in the mixture until they're eating wet or canned food by around eight weeks of age.
A product that can be helpful during this transition is a lickable treat, such as Churu. This can be mixed into the gruel or used to lead kittens to the bowl. It's also useful for socializing kittens and can even be used to coax them onto a scale for weighing.
Remember, patience is key during this process. Each kitten will progress at their own pace, and your gentle guidance will help them make this important transition.
Keeping Kittens Healthy
Preventive health measures play a crucial role in ensuring the well-being of kittens. If you're fostering through a rescue or shelter, they will typically set up a schedule for vaccinations and deworming.
Kittens can start receiving vaccinations as early as six weeks of age and deworming treatments from two weeks of age. Internal parasites can significantly impact a kitten's health, so early deworming is essential.
Daily weight checks are also important. If a kitten isn't gaining weight, it could be the first sign that something isn't right.
Kittens require a series of vaccinations every few weeks. This is because the effectiveness of maternal antibodies they received from their mother's first milk, or colostrum, can vary between kittens. These antibodies can interfere with vaccinations, which is why a series of vaccinations is necessary.
In the United States, kittens usually receive a rabies vaccination at a minimum age of 14 weeks, depending on the state.
Remember, a lot can happen in a year of a kitten's life. A one-year-old cat is equivalent to a fifteen-year-old human. Regular veterinary check-ups, at least once a year, are crucial. As cats age and their systems start to slow down, more frequent check-ups, probably twice a year, become necessary.
Start Your Foster Kitten Journey
Raising kittens is a rewarding journey filled with challenges and triumphs. From the early days of bottle feeding to the transition to solid foods, each stage is crucial in ensuring the health and well-being of these adorable creatures.
Whether you’re caring for stray or feral kittens, or nurturing your pet cat’s litter, understanding the importance of toileting, weaning, and preventive health measures can make a significant difference in a kitten’s life.
Remember, there are too many kittens and not enough homes for them all. By spaying and neutering our pet cats, we can help control the population and ensure every kitten born has a loving home waiting for them.
We hope this guide has provided valuable insights into the various stages of kitten care. Each kitten is unique and will progress at their own pace. Your gentle guidance will help them make these important transitions as they grow and develop.
If you found this guide helpful and want to stay up-to-date with all the latest news and content for pet parents, consider signing up for “The Pet Post” newsletter. It’s packed with useful tips, advice, and information to help you provide the best care for your furry friends. Remember, knowledge is power when it comes to raising healthy, happy pets.
Sign up for The Pet Post Newsletter today and join our community of dedicated pet parents! Together, we can make a difference in the lives of our beloved pets.
Full Transcript →
The following is an AI generated transcription: Dr. Alex [00:00:00]:
Nancy, it's wonderful to be talking to you today about a topic that I have, unfortunately, a lots of experience within in my area, which is raising foster kittens, orphan kittens, problems that they face, keeping them healthy, and and troubles with that population. But I'd love to know a little bit your background of what brought you into to this field because as I understand it, you're a veterinary technician. You worked in the humane society of the United States. So, yeah, how did your career develop to, you know, find yourself involved in this area.
Nancy Peterson [00:00:32]:
Sure. Well, as a child, I want it to be a zookeeper, but everybody poopooed that. They said, oh, do you know how dirty that is? How dangerous that is? How difficult that is? So I studied anthropology and archaeology and loved it. But, really, my heart was with the animals, so I did go back to school to get a degree in veterinary technology. And I worked as a veterinary technician for twelve and a half years in in Diego, California, similar climate to probably New Zealand. And I then Oh, I trained dogs for people with disabilities other than blindness, and then I moved close to our capital, Washington, DC, and I worked for the largest animal protection organization, the humane society of the United States. I was their cat programs manager, and When I retired in 2015, I moved to a small mountain town in Western Colorado of 6900 people, And I love fostering kittens for my local animal shelter, and I'm also on the boards of several animal welfare organizations my principle one that I do the most work for as a board member and writer and editor is the National Kitchen Coalition.
Dr. Alex [00:01:49]:
Yeah. Fantastic. So a wealth of professional experience and also personal experience in the -- Yeah. -- the nitty gritty of getting up in the middle of and and feeding kits and things, which I'm sure we're gonna come on to, in a in a little bit. So if we're thinking then about the these kitsons, what you know, what is the problem? Why why is this something that we even should be talking about? Why are we, you know, here today, I guess?
Nancy Peterson [00:02:11]:
Right. Because everybody loves kittens, but There are just too many of them, and there are enough homes for them. So certainly kittens who are born outdoors may suffer if no one is caring for them other than their mama kitty. Mama kitty will try to do a very good job, but there are so many dangers outdoors. And so many kittens will not make it. And, you know, that is just heartbreaking. So we we do need to spay and neuter our pet cats And we can do that fortunately as early as of age or
Dr. Alex [00:02:52]:
2
Nancy Peterson [00:02:52]:
or or or £2. Sorry. £2. Yes. 2 pounds and 2 months of age is what our our animal shelters and rescues are doing the veterinary community and doesn't really need to do that for pet cats, but pet cats were hoping can be spayed by 5 months of age because females can, as you know, come into heat as early as or months of age. You know, kittens, having kittens, and we just don't want that. So the best thing is to -- prevent the birth of unwanted kittens so that the kittens who are born will have a loving home.
Dr. Alex [00:03:31]:
Absolutely. And I guess, you know, we talk about that age, and and Spain needering isn't really the the main focus of our conversation, but it's such an important one to to knit this problem in the in in the bud. One thing that I am aware of in the research that's done is that people, you know, for for pets owning, families that they may think, oh, you know, they plan to get their their sex but that 6 months, 5 months comes around very quickly. And so there are a lot of accidental births, if you like, as well. Yes. And it might not seem like that's much of a problem, but, you know, we've got to find homes for all of these kittens. We've got to find good homes, loving homes, so that that cycle isn't repeated. So, actually, that early early nurturing is very important that unlike our dogs, people may be aware that there's issues with timings of of desexing our dogs. There doesn't seem to be those issues with cats at all. So something to definitely jump on sooner rather than rather than later.
Nancy Peterson [00:04:28]:
That's right. No physical or detrimental behavior of Spain, neuter, and cats at these young ages.
Dr. Alex [00:04:36]:
Yeah. So so we've got these cats that are being born in the wild or, you know, they're being at in barns. They don't really have good, a good owner situation. There's no pet parent looking out for their well-being. What kind of challenges are they facing in that those early weeks and and months of life?
Nancy Peterson [00:04:55]:
Well, if no one has been caring for momcat, it's likely that she hasn't had the best nutrition. So now you have a mom cat giving birth to kittens who haven't had the best -- prenatal care, if you will. Yep. And and then mom has the challenge of feeding herself and getting enough nutrition so that she can care for her kittens, the outdoors can be a very dangerous place. As you know, there are predators, there are poisons, there are Other cats to fend off. There's weather. It's just not the ideal place to be raising a family. And so, unfortunately, the mortality rate, at least here in the United States, is very high, maybe
Dr. Alex [00:05:42]:
65%.
Nancy Peterson [00:05:44]:
And then you've got kittens who you need to find homes for. Or if you don't get to them soon enough and they were born to a mom who was very unsocialized, you may not be able to place them in a loving home because they're not suitable as pet cats. So then you have to find a stable, a barn, some place for them. And it's just not easy here in the United States. The shelters and rescues are overwhelmed with kittens. Yeah.
Dr. Alex [00:06:13]:
I think it's the same the world to the world over and certainly here in in New Zealand, we have a number. Locally, I have a number of kind of rescue and foster organizations, and they're always bursting at the seams. And it also seems to me, and I don't know what your experiences, Nancy, but we used to think typically of the kitten season, you know, kind of late spring summer, but we're finding that we have a we're having kittens born almost year round. So it's almost net it's never ending problem. Right.
Nancy Peterson [00:06:41]:
In many parts of the United States, that is the case as well. However, in in areas such as the mountains of Colorado where I live or places where you have severe winters. Yeah. The cats are not having kittens at this time of year when it is so cold and and there's such a a lack of resources and survival would be very minimal
Dr. Alex [00:07:05]:
Yeah. But at least, yeah, I guess.
Nancy Peterson [00:07:06]:
So that that's really the the mission of the national Coalition National Kitchen, which is to increase kitten survival rates through education, we want to provide fosters whether they're doing it on their own or through a shelter or a rescue, whether it's a veterinary clinic, whether it's Anyone who's out there caring for kittens, we want to give them the resources that they need so that the kittens will survive. And we do that through education. And our website at kittencoalition.org has lots and lots of free blog articles and webinars. We even have an online kitten conference in June and our online veterinary conferences coming up on October 8th. So we are passionate about saving more kittens, and we hope that anyone who's listening is as well and can just log on to our website and take advantage of all of our all of our resources. I'm sure, as you know, when you probably went to veterinary school, when I went to vet tech school, we didn't learn anything about pediatric and neonatal tear. And so if I brought you a neonatal kitten and you didn't have experience with a rescue or a shelter. You probably didn't see kittens till they were adopted at 8 of age. Well, you might not really know what to do with a neonate. So we really are out there trying to also educate veterinary community because they are critical to this to this effort to save kittens.
Dr. Alex [00:08:51]:
Yeah. Absolutely. But, yes, and there is a lot of work that goes on, like, behind the scenes and through the school of hard knocks, you know, for people who haven't come across the the resources that you have to offer, who, you know, just go stuck in, I think, you know, I've got a number of wet nurses who are are passionate about cats in general, but raising these kittens and and trying to find homes for them. I you know, I hate to think of the number of of stray cats that we rehomed through our clinic because they come to us with no home, maybe, you know, not particularly unwell, but not doing that great, and then we we nurse them back to health and then find homes for them. So there's a lot of a lot of people working very hard in the background as well. And, you know, I I think just taking a little break and and sing out to all of the the veterinary clinics out there working on this behind the scenes. You know, there's a lot of a lot in the press at the minute. I was just reading another, piece where a vet is being hounded online for for for no reason at all effectively. and there's a lot of negativity, but there's an awful lot of good work that gets done that people aren't aware of. So, anyway, that's that's by the by Nancy. If we're thinking about how we can raise these kids and how we can can nurse them, not just so that they survive, but so that they thrive. That really is something that is very possible and that anyone can do. Like you say, what what's the first step in in, you know, raising a healthy kitten?
Nancy Peterson [00:10:13]:
Knowledge, knowing
Dr. Alex [00:10:15]:
what
Nancy Peterson [00:10:15]:
to do. Right? And and so very important. I, you know, I was I was scared to foster my first kittens, and I have never fostered bottle babies kittens who I have to be nursed with a bottle and stimulated to urinate. I do feel that I could do it, but it's so much more intensive because depending on their age, you are waking up every few hours. They have to be fed. They have to be stimulated to eliminate. And the older I get the, you know, the the more I need an interrupted sleep. So I I foster the for the wind kittens, meaning they can eat solid food. And I thoroughly enjoy it. And everything that I've learned from the National Kitchen has helped me to be a better foster. It's it's how I've learned to recognize, uh-oh, as well as my background, of course, as a veterinary technician. Something's not right with this kitten. It's it's helped me to understand not just medically, but Part of the very important part of so of of offering is socializing them. if they're from outdoors and they haven't had much contact with people, they may be frightened of people. They may be frightened of toys. They're frightened of things that they're unfamiliar with, which even includes your foster kitten room. So so you have to gradually gain their trust I'm I'm really a fan of letting them set the pace. I don't force myself on them, but I lure them with treats and wand toys and pretty soon. I mean, it could, obviously, pretty soon. It could take 3 weeks before they're lying in my legs and comfortable and rolling over. But it that and that's the most rewarding to me is taking a kitten who is frightened and doesn't trust people. and turning them into a little love bug that would, you know, just be a wonderful, wonderful pet in somebody's home.
Dr. Alex [00:12:22]:
Yeah. Absolutely. What the rewarding work. And it doesn't always take that 3 weeks. Sometimes they come around much faster. I guess it depends on that. The the mother's situation, if there was a mother and and what those early early weeks in involved, I guess, talking about whether there's a mother or not, does that make a difference to the work that needs to be done. I mean, obviously, we think of feeding, but, is there anything else that we need to think about with regards whether mother's present or not?
Nancy Peterson [00:12:48]:
Well, the mother teaches the kitten so much. And whether the mother is afraid of you, that can get transmitted to the kittens as well. So sometimes, you know, when there's a a a feral, I'll say a very feral mother It it might not be fair, I would say, to keep her confined with the kittens. Yep. Although She can give the best care. If she's so stressed out, she might not be able to give the best care. But, yes, mother's mother, cats, can do the job so much better than a surrogate human mother. They, you know, they can nurse them anytime of the day or night. They keep them clean. They stimulate them. They teach them to use the litter box. Although, really, nobody needs to teach a kitten to use litter box you provide the appropriate material, they will use it. And, you know, she cleans them. And when the kittens are together, that's so important too because they learn how to to modify, it will say their behavior. So they're not being too rough with their siblings. So when when they're really playing rough and one of them okay. That was a little I'll back off. And and and mom starts This kitten starts seeing that mom's eating food, and they'll imitate her. So having a mom is is really wonderful. I've had 3 moms with kittens that I've fostered, and it's just been delightful. They've been wonderful moms and to see how well they take care of their kittens. The sad part is when the kittens go back to the shelter, they fly out the door. And momcat is waiting and waiting her chance for a good home, but, ultimately, the cats that have fostered have all been adopted.
Dr. Alex [00:14:39]:
Yeah. Wonderful. So that's a happy ending. all around, I guess. just jumping back into that stimulation to toilets. So I think that's something that a lot of people won't be aware of is a need for for young animals for for most young animals. can you talk to us a little bit more about what you mean by that?
Nancy Peterson [00:14:59]:
Sure. So nature nature is very intelligent. Kids cannot urinate and defecate on their own. because that's a way to keep the nest clean. If the nest is dirty, it could attract predators. So mom cat has to actually lick the genitals and the anus of the kitten to get them to stim to get them to your main defecate. She eats it, and it's all clean and nice. So when we people are acting as moms, then we have to take a very soft, maybe cotton ball or a cloth or a tissue. And before they we feed them, if they're bottled babies, because they they they need to be stimulated till they're about 4 weeks of age. After that time, they can go to the bathroom on their own.
Dr. Alex [00:15:53]:
Yep.
Nancy Peterson [00:15:54]:
So yes. Until that time, if we are caring for them, we have to take a little soft cloth and gently put it on their their privates and not rub it because that would be very irritating but we actually make contact with the skin, and we kind of just move it around in a circle, and we keep doing that until they have finished urinating and defecating Now they'll usually urinate every time that they're stimulated, but they may not defecate every time, maybe every 12 to 24. Sometimes even 36 hours depending on how much they're eating.
Dr. Alex [00:16:32]:
Yep. Yep. And it's important to be very gentle like you say there because it's easy to get carried away and you can it it can get a little bit sore sore back there if I'm if we're doing it too enthusiastic but such an such an important thing to do because the last thing we want is, a massively full bladder at a very constipated and and unwell -- Yes. And one
Nancy Peterson [00:16:53]:
One other thing that is so important, I I I'm kind of the, you know, the social media police woman. I see kittens being nursed on their back and that is a definite, definite, no, no. We don't feed kittens on their back as we would human babies because we risk them aspirating the formula, which means instead of going into their stomach, it goes into their lungs and can die from there.
Dr. Alex [00:17:23]:
Yep. Yep. So we're, I mean, we're trying to replicate nature in a way and the kitten will always be on their legs kind of nuzzling into into mum so we can get them in that position and and and feed them that way. And and with feeding them the Nancy, when we're thinking of bottle raising our kids how often are we having to feed them and how is that changing as they are growing and maturing and and hopefully the the the sleepless nights get less and less?
Nancy Peterson [00:17:48]:
Right. Right. So, you know, it mostly depends on their weight, not so much their age because you could have a poorly nourished kitten who is five weeks old, but only has the stomach capacity of a two week old kitten. So there's really wonderful information. Well, there's some on our website. We have a a wonderful nonprofit called Maddie's Fund and it does provide a wonderful stomach capacity chart according to weight of the kitten. So it'll tell you this is how much a kitten weighing this much should eat every day, and this is how often you know, divide this up into 6 or 8 feedings a day because their stomach has just so much capacity. that's why you don't get to sleep too much. But it does get better as the kitten gets a little older.
Dr. Alex [00:18:45]:
Yeah. Yeah. No. It's it is yeah. Those early stages are very hard work. I remember or a long time ago now, we we my wife and I were in India, a rescue organization, and we had a a bunch of puppies, not kitsons, but at that age, they're all little bundles of fluff that need kind of the same care. And, there was a number of, a number of other volunteers there, and we had, I think we took turns for 2 nights in a row. And, or, I mean, after that, I was pretty exhausted, but it's it's incredibly rewarding, and you can almost see them growing before you're very eyes as well.
Nancy Peterson [00:19:18]:
You can. I love I have a a a chart that shows week by week how they should be behaviorally. and physically maturing. And I just love seeing that every week. Oh, you know, this is the week they're gonna start playing week with each other. This is the week. They'll be focused on toys. This is the week that X is going to happen, and It is just fascinating.
Dr. Alex [00:19:45]:
Yeah. Taking those milestones much like we, you know, look for with our with our human children as as well.
Nancy Peterson [00:19:51]:
Yes. Yes. I love spending time with my fosters. I love taking pictures of them, and all my friends come and visit when I have foster kittens.
Dr. Alex [00:20:02]:
Obviously, to see you as well, Nancy, not just the kittens.
Nancy Peterson [00:20:06]:
I don't know about that. More visitors when I have my kittens.
Dr. Alex [00:20:10]:
Yeah. So if we're then with so we've we've got through that bottle feeding, how are we introducing solids to them? because you say with mom, they, you know, they they naturally see mum eating and and take those cues. If mum isn't present, well, I wonder what age that happens at. And also if if mum isn't there, how are we introducing foods to them?
Nancy Peterson [00:20:30]:
So I would say at about at about 5 weeks of age, 5, 6 weeks of age, mom is going to start backing off on offering the milk bar to them because she's getting pretty exhausted herself. And so If there is no mom, then we as caregivers, and and sometimes we we get them
Dr. Alex [00:20:56]:
4
Nancy Peterson [00:20:57]:
weeks of age, and and they can. They can go on to solid food. So We have to introduce it very gradually. Their digestive systems are very sensitive at that point. And so we're gonna make a gruel for them, which is kitten, moist kitten food, probably with some water in it, and it's going to be like a soup because at this point, all they know is probably how to suck. They don't know how to lap things up. So at first, it's pretty funny. They're kind of you know, sucking up their food. They they've never eaten from a bowl. They've never or dish, I would say. So we introduced this gruel in a very shallow dish, and I like to put some on a little baby, plastic spoon, and, you know, offer it to them, and and let them get a little taste of it, and they're going, oh, okay. Hey. That's interesting. And then we feed them some more. And then eventually, I will lower the spoon down to the dish. And, oh, oh, okay. And it can be pretty messy because they don't realize they're not supposed to be be stepping in their food. And then and then, you know, as the days go by, I will add less and less water to this mixture so that hopefully by the time they're 8 weeks of age, ready to be adopted into a home. They're eating their canned or wet food.
Dr. Alex [00:22:28]:
Yeah. Wonderful. Yeah. Just that slow process and and taking your time and, yes, being prepared for the mess because cats are generally very clean animals, but not at that stage when we're introducing food. I guess they're a bit like the toddler where you need the the bib and plastic sheet on the ground as well because it goes everywhere.
Nancy Peterson [00:22:45]:
Exactly. Under in the States, we I I believe it's a Japanese product. It's made by a company called Inaba, and it's called Churu, c h u r u. I call it a lickable tree. It comes in a little too. and you can squeeze the end. I have never met a cat or a kitten that did not love that. They actually make a kitten formula. And so I use that a lot. Sometimes I'll mix that in with the gruel or lead them to the bowl with that. I use that a lot for social and perhaps I use I never try to wrap them in a towel or put them in a bowl to weigh them on a little scale. They wanna get off. They jump out. I get so frustrated. They just take a dab of churroop, put it right on the scale. and and then I have to deal with everybody wants to get on the scale. So but it's a great way to weigh them. So I don't know. You probably have some form of a lit lickable treat, and I encourage people to use those as well. I wonder
Dr. Alex [00:23:51]:
-- Work with them. Don't don't fight them.
Nancy Peterson [00:23:54]:
No. No. Because you can subdue them and force them to submit, but that doesn't teach them to trust you or that people are good. So the best way is to work with them and food and play our wonderful motivators at that age.
Dr. Alex [00:24:11]:
Absolutely. Absolutely. And I think that's become a big change in, you know, from my point of view in the veterinary industry as a whole is the the fear free movements and working with our patients rather than, you know, just getting the job done, which, you know, you go back 15, 20 years would have been would have been the case, but also pet parents would have been upset if you'd said, well, let's we'll come back another time and try it a different way. They expected the job to be done, but thankfully, that's not the case. And and we've got much happier patient in in the vet clinic. Absolutely. Yeah. We're thinking. So that's that's we've got them we've got them feeding. We've got them toileting growing. They're developing. They're socially maturing, and they're becoming loving kittens. Is there anything that we're doing for preventive health at this early stage before they're rehomed?
Nancy Peterson [00:24:59]:
Well, the I I am I foster through my local animal shelter. And, certainly, they are vaccinating them as early as 4 weeks of age and warming them as early as 2 weeks of age because internal parasites can really take their toll on a kitten's health. And so if you are are fostering through a rescue or a shelter, then they will set up the schedule for the kittens too. And I bring them back. They get weighed. Although I weigh them every day. That's part of the deal. We have to make sure they're gaining weight. They're not gaining weight. That's often the first sign. Something's not right. So, yes, they have to have vaccinations, and they get them every few weeks because as you know, they if they've had the first milk, the the fluid, the colostrum from there, their mom, then they've gotten some maternal antibodies. And but we don't know for each kitten when those stop being effective, stop interfering with the vaccination, and that's why kittens and puppies and babies all need a series of vaccinations and also series of wormings. And then here in the United States, hittens at it depends on the state but usually it's 14 weeks of age minimum to rate these vaccination. So, yeah, there's there's a lot going when they're that young. And then, of course, in a year and a kitten's life, you know, a one year old cat is a fifteen year old and a human life. And so we we really stress they must see the veterinarian at least once a year when they're seniors probably two times a year because a lot can go on as they're their systems are starting to slow down, but but I'm so glad you mentioned fear free because, yeah, when It was a vet tech. We scruffed. We stretched them out, you know, to restrain them and my god. We were we were just scare. No wonder kittens and cats didn't like to go to the veterinarian. Look what we did to them. We just terrified them. So so I'm so glad that that and and cats are often the underdogs. You know, first, it was the dogs who were cared for, and the dog foods that were that were create, and the dog vaccines, and dog dog dog dog dog dog. And I love dogs. But cats have always played second fiddle in my opinion. And so I'm just really, really happy that cats are getting their due now, and people wanna under stand cats more so that they can live happier lives.
Dr. Alex [00:27:43]:
Yeah. Absolutely. And it may be a a shock to all of the cat lovers out there, but actually from a a a veterinary spend point of view or a health care spend point of view, people spend a lot more on dogs than than cats. So Yeah. They I think they still play 2nd fiddle, but there's the more appreciation, I guess, for the benefits that they bring bring to us and and potentially the easier time they give us for for being owners as well. there's, you know, less intense need to to care for them later on in life from the walking and all that kind of thing as well.
Nancy Peterson [00:28:13]:
Right? And I think part part of the, you see cats at the veterinarian less is because They don't go in cars that often, and they don't have to get stuffed in a carrier that often. And and that is so scary, and people can't do it. And and it stresses them as well. So there are wonderful ways to acclimate cats to their carriers and make them safe places so that It's not such an ordeal to take your cat to the veterinarian. There are also some wonderful drugs that have been developed now, like Gabapentin, And if your cat doesn't have, I think, it's kidney problems, then it's such a safe, a safe drug to give, to chill your cat out. in the car and even at the veterinarian's office. So, yeah, there there's there's a lot being done, and I'm very grateful for that.
Dr. Alex [00:29:04]:
Yeah. and but even at the early even at the early stage for our fostering, if we're getting them used to --
Nancy Peterson [00:29:09]:
Exactly.
Dr. Alex [00:29:10]:
-- to carriers or when we're bringing them home, having just been fostered and we're adopting getting used to the carriers, maybe, you know, just going in the car, the engine on, and then you go out the car. It's --
Nancy Peterson [00:29:19]:
Mhmm.
Dr. Alex [00:29:19]:
-- all these little things that we're doing in these very early stages of life. can make a huge difference.
Nancy Peterson [00:29:25]:
They do. And and one negative experience can really set you back So it's important to avoid those little costs.
Dr. Alex [00:29:35]:
Yeah. because cats are very clever. That's for sure. That's for sure.
Nancy Peterson [00:29:38]:
They are.
Dr. Alex [00:29:40]:
So Nancy, we've covered an awful lot of ground, but we have also only just scratched the surface. I think we've given a really lovely overview. My my my son would have been very proud of that pun.
Nancy Peterson [00:29:53]:
Oh, that was a good one.
Dr. Alex [00:29:56]:
where where can people go online? We mentioned you mentioned some of those resources, for for people who find themselves in this situation. I guess where can can people continue this education? and maybe where can they find support and how can they get involved as well if they're thinking, well, I've never I've never fostered kittens, but there is a problem in my area or I wonder if there is. and I'd love to to jump into this rewarding activity where how can people start?
Nancy Peterson [00:30:22]:
Before I tell you that there's one thing I wanna say that I feel is so, so it important. Good Samaratoons who find kittens. The first thing they wanna do is feed them. That can kill them. If they are cold, their digestion, their digestion system cannot absorb the food that they're going to feed them, and it can actually kill them. So please, if you find a kitten, the first thing you have to you have to warm up the kitten, and it's not enough to hold them close to your body. So check out our website. We have critical care for kittens, which includes low body temperature, low blood sugar, dehydration, and we have fleas and kittens can get you know, sucked sucked of their blood by a huge flea infestation. Those things can kill them. So check out our website. kipcoalition.org. Look at all the wonderful articles that have been written and not just the articles. If you go to the end of each article, there are wonderful resources. If you're a pet parent, if you're a shelter or rescue, if you're a veterinary professional, We wanna give you other resources that you can dive in deeper, but we definitely give you the most critical information that you need. and you're gonna learn about things about cats. You didn't even know existed. I learned things as well. Kittens born without an anus. I mean, it's just incredible what can happen. I I never had children. Maybe that happens with human children as well, but, yeah, I was like, what? So you'll you will learn a lot. As I said, Education saves lives. Also, our webinars are free. And And if you follow us on social media, you'll get lots and lots of fun tips, and that's just Facebook or LinkedIn or what other social media channels you follow. We're really trying to to get the word out there. We've been attending veterinary conferences and the last one I attended was in the American Veterinary Medical Association, and almost nobody had heard of us. And I was like, yes. That's right. That's why we're here. when they heard about our resources, they were so excited. So the more people who know about our resources, share our resources, the more kittens will be saved, and that's what we're for.
Dr. Alex [00:32:55]:
and what a wonderful mission. I think that's something that everyone can can jump behind and and and work towards and appreciate the amazing work that you're doing. So, Nancy, thank you so much for for joining us for this wonderful conversation. We could talk about kids since all day I know, but, Yeah. Thank you for the work that you're doing, and I know this is gonna make a huge difference to the survival of of so many kittens in the future.
Subscribe to the Call The Vet Show to ensure that you never miss a future episode!