How to Care for Newborn Baby Kittens

Knowing the correct way to care for a newborn kitten is extremely important for the survival of the kitten. If you have found a newborn kitten or a litter of abandoned kittens, there are several things you need to do if you want to help the kitten(s) survive. If possible, have a veterinarian check the kittens as soon as possible, as they may be carrying an infectious disease.

Things You'll Need

  • Towels
  • Box
  • Eyedropper
  • Kitten bottle
  • Kitten replacement milk
  • Wash cloth
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Instructions

    • 1
      These are neonatal kittens. Notice the ears are not fully erect and the eyes are just newly opened. All newborn kittens have blue eyes.

      Examine the kittens to make sure they do not have any trauma or injuries. Look for signs of illness such as runny nose, tears in the eyes, discharge from genital area or any other signs that the kittens may be sick. Kittens can appear to be fine and then fade quickly, so be sure the kittens are healthy in the first place.

    • 2
      Newborn kittens without a queen (mother cat) to raise them will have a multitude of problems.

      Feed the kittens with an eyedropper or kitten bottle you can purchase at your local pet store. For the food, you need kitten replacement milk; you can find different brands at the pet store. When feeding the kitten offer the food in small amounts until the kitten gets use to the kitten replacement milk. You only want to give as much as they can swallow at a time. You will need to feed the newborn kitten every three to four hours. They will sleep most of the time.

    • 3

      Keep the kittens warm. This is very important. Put the kittens in a cardboard box with towels lining it for cushioning. Place a heating pad set on low-medium under the towels. Alternatively, you can purchase hot packs like the kind used on low back pain. They will stay hot for about eight hours.

    • 4

      Stimulate the kittens genitals after every feeding. The kitten's excretory system is still forming and will need a little help from the outside. The queen usually licks the scrotum and genital areas to clean off any excrement. Her licking stimulates the genitals and gets things moving. Use a warm, moist cotton ball to stimulate the genitals and wipe away the excrement.