Bottle-Feeding Kittens Is The Best Way To Keep Them Healthy And Happy, According To The Humane Society Of The Great Lakes (Gannett News, Weather & Sports)

If the cats are strays, they are cared for by the mother cat. She will do the work of raising them. Bottle-feeding should be a last resort for cats who are not otherwise nursing. Some stray cats are not comfortable with human handling. Orphaned cats can suffer from fleas and parasites. Orphans who nurse until they are naturally weaned may need certain immunizations before they need to be immunized. Any cat showing signs of illness or distress including low body temperature, watery eyes, runny nose, diarrhea, lethargy, or failure to eat should be seen immediately. For the first few weeks, you will need to bottle feed the entire litter several times a day. Younger and smaller cats need as many as 12 feedings around the clock. Bottle feeding can be done in a comfortable chair with a cat on your lap. Mother cats encourage newborns to urinate and move their bowels by washing their bums with their tongue. You can encourage the same elimination pattern by holding each kitty and gently rubbing its back end with a warm wet wash cloth. Soft touch and massages help cats adapt to your presence and their new home. A non-clumping Pellet litter works best for untrained newbies. Scratch the litter with your finger to show them what it's all about. If one has an accident on the floor, pick up a small amount of poop with a shovel. . . .