What Can I Do With a Kitten That Cries All the Time When Taken Away From Its Mother?

Newborn kittens should remain with their mothers for the first few weeks of life, but if that isn't possible and you have a newborn kitten in your care, it needs some special love. If the kitty seems discontent that its mom isn't around anymore and cries a lot, give the kitten some special care to try and make it feel just as loved as it did when its mother was taking care of it.

  1. Warmth

    • A kitten may cry when it's away from its mother because it needs warmth. Wrap a heating pad in a towel or soft, fuzzy blanket to mimic the warmth of the mother's furry embrace and put the kitten on it. Make sure the heating pad isn't too hot, and allow the kitten room to move freely as it desires. Grab a stuffed animal and position it next to the kitten so it can snuggle against the toy. This may help reduce crying as well.

    Feeding

    • A crying kitty may be a hungry kitty. For a cat that is less than four weeks old, purchase a newborn formula for kittens and a little bottle at the pet store. Once the kitten is past a month old, it can be fed wet food. Make sure the kitten is getting sustenance every couple of hours to prevent hunger cries.

    Bathroom

    • A newborn kitten may cry if it needs to go to the bathroom. It takes kittens a few weeks to go on their own, so if the kitten is less than a month or so old, it may need help. Rub a moistened cloth over the genital and anal area to stimulate it so the kitten can use the bathroom. Make sure the cloth is warm and soft, and once the kitten is a month old it can be successfully litter box trained.

    Love

    • A new kitten that isn't near its mother may be scared and lonely. Pick the kitty up and love it, being careful to be gentle. Don't handle it too much, but definitely pet it and let it know you are there by giving it gentle pets and touches. Keep the kitten away from young children who may not understand how to give the kitten gentle love.

    Vet Visit

    • If you try these ways to calm and take care of your kitten and it is still crying and unresponsive, call the vet. There could be another reason for the kitten's distress. Kittens can be born with illnesses or problems that are hard to diagnose just by sight, so make sure it gets checked out thoroughly to rule out any health problems that are keeping your kitten unhappy.