How to Raise Infant Kittens if the Mother Abandoned Them

Kittens need a lot of love and caring during their first few weeks of life, so when a mother abandons her young, it is crucial that a human take over. Keeping abandoned kittens alive and healthy isn't particularly difficult, but it is time-consuming. Kittens need to be fed, kept warm, taught how to use the bathroom and raised in a clean environment free of bacteria that may cause them to get sick.

Things You'll Need

  • Nursing bottle
  • Kitten formula
  • Box
  • Blankets
  • Soap
  • Cotton balls
  • Solid kitten food
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place several soft blankets in a cardboard box to create a warm nest box for the kittens. Young kittens are not able to regulate their body temperature on their own, so kittens must be kept warm during the first few weeks. Keep the box close to where you sleep so that you can hear the kittens if they start crying in the middle of the night. This could be a sign that they are cold or hungry.

    • 2

      Remove the blankets from the box at the end of each day. Wash them with a small amount of soap. Rinse them thoroughly. In the meantime, keep the kittens wrapped in another set of clean, soft blankets. Clean the blankets in the box every day.

    • 3

      Warm the kitten formula between room temperature and body temperature. It is important that the milk not be too hot, so err on the side of cooler. Pour it into a nursing bottle for animals. Feed the abandoned kittens. Do not overfeed them, as they might then inhale the milk into their lungs, which might cause pneumonia. It is better to feed them smaller meals at more frequent intervals. For the first two weeks of life, the kittens should be fed every 2 hours.

    • 4

      Burp the kitten after each feeding. Hold the kitten upright with its stomach against your shoulder and lightly pat it until it burps. Nursing bottles cause kittens to swallow a lot of air, which can lead to bloating and diarrhea.

    • 5

      Rub a moistened cotton ball around the anus and urinary area of the kitten. Young kittens are unable to regulate their bathroom tendencies on their own, so they must be stimulated. Do so gently until the kitten produces urine or a bowel movement. Repeat this after feeding until the kitten is at least 3 weeks old.

    • 6

      Feed the kittens solid wet food at around three-and-a-half weeks old. At this point, they are ready to be weaned off of their nursing. They will also be more able to regulate their body temperature and bathroom tendencies on their own, so you will no longer have to keep their nest box extremely warm or facilitate their bowel movements. By 10 weeks old, the kitten can eat dry kitten chow.