A newborn kitten does not latch on - reasons and what to do

Continuous supervision

Despite the fact that the kittens move awkwardly for the first few days, they are quite capable of climbing over low sides, climbing either over each other or over crumpled rags, crawl into the most secluded corners of the apartment and hide there. Therefore, I replaced the basin in which I initially put the kittens with a cardboard box with high sides. For the first couple of weeks, a quite suitable den for kittens. The first days I didn’t make a partition inside the box, but after a week I built it, as the kittens grew older, began to interfere with each other’s sleep, spinning around, looking for the cat, clinging to each other.

The kittens still sleep together. Fourth day

What causes the sucking reflex in kittens?

The mother’s ability to suckle is an unconditioned reflex that ensures the vital functions of the body. A newborn kitten, who can only squeak and suck, chooses its mother's nipple. She grabs it into her mouth, strokes it with her tongue, moves her paws over the mother’s belly, stimulating lactation, and defends the right to food, pushing away her sisters and brothers.

Although the eyes and ears are closed, the sense of smell and touch works:

the nipple is located by smell;
body position is adjusted using thermoregulation and tactile receptors.

A cat in the village or a wild one brings mice, independently accustoming the cubs to solid food. The transition to a normal diet for the species lasts up to 6 months.

Manifestation of the sucking reflex in older kittens

A mother cat usually feeds her offspring for up to 2-2.5 months.

Gradually, the amount of milk decreases, and, sensing this, the mother cat begins to wean her babies off the breast, running away, hiding and even growling at them. Accordingly, growing babies switch to eating adult food and soon completely forget about infant habits. However, you can also observe a picture of atypical behavior when a teenage kitten:

continues to suck on the mother's empty nipples;
persistently sucks the owner's fingers, earlobe, hair or fold of skin;
spends a long time chewing, chewing and sucking on a plush toy or a corner of a fleecy woolen blanket;
licks, chews, smacks and even swallows other inedible objects, for example, genuine leather products, drywall, scraps of wallpaper, cement chips, glued paper books.

Also watch the video on how to stop a cat from sucking:

Care for 3 months and older

Nutrition. The diet of an adult fluffy during this period is very varied: meat, fish, milk, cottage cheese, egg yolk, cereals, vegetables, cereals (except corn). Food can be offered in bite-sized pieces. But you cannot put the entire daily amount of food into a bowl at once. The pet has not yet learned to clearly control its appetite, so it may eat too much. The norm for one feeding is 200 grams per 1 kg of animal weight. At 3 months, a kitten eats 400 grams of food per day, and at 4 months – 600 grams.

Hygiene. Caring for a kitten includes the usual set of hygiene procedures, which is complemented by brushing teeth. By the age of four months, all of the cat’s teeth have erupted, so prevention of dental problems in domestic hermits is mandatory. Teeth are cleaned using small brushes and a paste with a pleasant smell.

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Vaccination. At 3 months the cat is vaccinated a second time. Revaccination includes the same drugs that were used a month ago. The next vaccination is scheduled after a year. After the procedure, you should carefully monitor your pet's well-being. If you notice apathy or restlessness, fever, sneezing, swelling in the injection area or other suspicious symptoms, you should contact a veterinary clinic.

The exciting period for the owner of caring for a kitten passes quickly

But if the pet is surrounded by care and attention, then many problems bypass it. Kotofey grows and develops according to his age and enters adulthood healthy and cheerful.

Newborn hygiene

So, after the cat gave birth to kittens, nature endowed her with the instinct to care for her offspring. A caring mother independently copes with the hygienic requirements for caring for newborns: she washes, licks, massages the bellies, cleans up the ponytails.

In this way, the cat neutralizes the smell of kittens so as not to attract the attention of predators. However, not every mother is ready to make such sacrifices.

It happens that an animal refuses kittens. In this case, only people can help the small creatures.

Similar article: Exhibition and hygienic haircuts for cats

A newborn kitten does not latch on - reasons and what to do

As soon as the owner finds out that the cat is pregnant, they need to start preparing for the birth and further care of the babies. If the kittens are born strong and without health problems, the cat’s maternal instinct kicks in and she takes care of them on her own. In the animal world, a cat is considered a wonderful and caring mother. But unfortunately, there are times when kittens may have problems that only the owner can help solve. What to do if a newborn kitten does not latch on itself?

Babies suck cat's milk within an hour after birth. The mother can give birth to the next child while the baby that has already been born begins to suckle. This is considered normal, but the baby may lose its sucking reflex over time. To prevent this from happening, you must immediately begin to monitor so that all kittens begin to suckle on time, especially the first one.

Supplementary feeding

Newborn kittens eat every 1.5-2 hours. If the babies have a mother and she eats fully, which means she receives all the minerals and trace elements necessary for her situation, then her kittens will be well-fed and healthy. There are circumstances in which kittens will have to be supplemented with breast milk or completely switched to artificial feeding, for example, if:

the mother of the kittens did not survive or refused to feed the cubs;
the cat has infectious diseases or feeding kittens can deplete her body;
the cat has little milk - in this case, its nutrition should be increased;
there are too many kittens in the litter;
If the baby is too weak, the brothers take away the nipple or he cannot find it or suck on it.

Newborn fold kittens

What do veterinarians do to such patients?

The very first thing is to place a catheter and provide intravenous access. For babies weighing 100 grams, this is such a difficult task that it requires high qualifications.

It is not always possible to place a catheter in a vein on the leg, due to the fact that the vein is simply thinner than the diameter of the smallest catheter - usually a purple catheter, size 26G. If the vein is wide enough to insert it, then the catheter is still too long and a splint is used to fix it.

If it is impossible to place it in a vein on the leg, they place it on the neck in the jugular vein.

It is important that doctors do not use alcohol when manipulating the baby - with such crumbs, alcohol is replaced with chlorhexidine, because alcohol is quickly absorbed.

Sometimes intraosseous access is used - a needle is inserted into the thigh.

Usually, when placing a catheter, they immediately take blood for analysis (usually from the jugular vein and no more than 0.5 ml, because they have a small volume of circulating blood) because it is almost impossible to determine by external signs in babies. And, based on the results obtained, therapy is prescribed.

It is impossible to determine dehydration normally, so a Refractometer is used to determine it - it measures the density of urine. The norm is up to 1,017 - if higher, then he is dehydrated and needs dehydration. It is the urine density refractometer that most accurately controls the water balance.

If there is no intravenous access, you can drink water for dehydration, or add water with food, or dilute the milk thinner, but in the latter case you can cause diarrhea.

At home, if it is impossible to get to the clinic, we add water to dehydrated kittens orally instead of or along with feedings. We do not use saline solution, as previously recommended, since they are still salty and can cause the development of gastritis. It is optimal to use baby drinking water.

In a clinical setting, infusion therapy is used. Central catheters last longer than intraosseous catheters, which are more often used as a one-time measure. The dose and volumes of intraosseous administration are the same as intravenously. Infusion therapy doses are calculated as for adults.

Intravenous infusions are designed to ensure normal blood circulation and eliminate dehydration. Crystalloids (saline solution, trisol, disol and others), albumin, and plasma are used. If babies have anemia, they are given a blood transfusion using either the whole blood of the mother or another cat - after compatibility has been established.

There is a condition when water is not retained in the plasma and plasma substitutes are used, otherwise they swell. Synthetic colloids are not recommended.

When dehydration occurs in a hospital setting, an intravenous catheter is installed and fluid is injected at the rate of 1-2 ml/hour and monitored to see if it leaks into the intercellular space.

Sometimes there are allergies to albumin - these are various vasculitis, but this is still a necessary measure if there is no plasma or whole blood.

Subcutaneous infusions are not used, firstly, because the injected solution acts like a cold heating pad, and severe patients are usually already hypothermic, and secondly, because subcutaneous fat tissue is underdeveloped, and, as a result, poor absorption.

Why do kittens stick to objects?

If your cat is sucking on your hand, ear, or other things, the following may be the cause:

Early weaning from breastfeeding mother's milk or mother cat.
Lack of love and care from the owner. Kittens feel a particular shortage during adaptation and socialization. At this time, the owner will need to create the most comfortable conditions for the growth and development of the pet, and protect it from stress.
Boredom. If a kitten is bored, it may begin to exhibit a sucking reflex.
Hereditary or breed predisposition. When the kitten's parents had the same habits, with a high degree of probability they can be passed on to the small cat. In addition, representatives of the Persian and Siamese breeds are most susceptible to the sucking reflex.
Constant stress.
Diseases of the endocrine system and dental problems. In this situation, the presence of pathologies can only be determined by a veterinarian. If the owner of a kitten suspects the development of illnesses, you need to take the kitty to a veterinary clinic.

Often this habit is formed in children who are artificial.

Being on artificial feeding and underfeeding also causes the sucking reflex to appear. In this case, cats often try to get food for themselves on their own. Often the pet cuddles in woolen clothes that remind him of his mother

It is important for the owner to force the cat to get rid of this habit as soon as possible, since hairballs get stuck in the stomach and cause problems with the digestive system. In addition, similar behavior can also be observed when there is a lack of vitamins in the body.

Why does a teenage kitten continue to exhibit a sucking reflex?

Brain development in cubs is directly related to mouth movements, and the sucking reflex turns out to be a very important element of psychophysiological development. The reasons for a kitten’s prolonged suckling period may be:

. ” When keeping a cat family together, the nurse cat with a developed maternal instinct turns out to be too caring, meekly enduring the attack of energetic teenagers and the unpleasant grabbing of the nipples by toothy mouths. Sometimes a selfless mother continues to feed an over-aged child at the same time as the subsequent newborn offspring.
Early weaning or artificial feeding . In this case, the suckling kitten considers a person to be the closest creature, associating with him not only the provision of food, but also a blessed feeling of security and tranquility. Falling asleep in the owner's bed, a well-fed and satisfied baby can begin to lick and smack any part of the owner's body. Cubs, accustomed to receiving food exclusively from human hands, will stick to their fingers when they feel hungry.
Lack of attention on the part of the owner, frequent loneliness, boredom . Not finding a more suitable object to splash out its emotions, the kitten will cuddle and cling to a soft toy or fur item.
Stress, nervous shock . Instinctive memory indicates that the safest place is next to the mother in her own den, so the fear experienced can psychologically turn a teenage kitten into a three-week-old sucker. Having disconnected from the scary outside world, the baby animal uses the sucking reflex as an effective antidepressant, relaxing with the help of a kind of “self-hypnosis.”
Breed predisposition . It has been noticed that young Siamese, Thai, Persian, Asian cats, as well as their crosses, often suck and chew things.
Underfeeding, lack of vitamins and minerals . Unbalanced feeding can lead to licking, chewing and swallowing of inedible objects. So, experimentally the body tries to compensate for the deficiency of certain ingredients. In particular, if there is a lack of minerals, the cat will choose the walls or taste the soil from flower pots. The desire to suck on woolen items is due to the content of lanolin in them, which has a similar chemical nature to lipids and fatty acids. Naturally, the habit of eating inedible objects has a detrimental effect on the cat’s body, causing clogging of the digestive tract and increasing the likelihood of poisoning.
Disturbances in the functioning of organs and systems . Constant licking and sucking can provoke functional disruptions in the body, leading, for example, to increased salivation and nausea. In turn, this may be a sign of poisoning, internal intoxication, diseases of the oral cavity, teeth, and digestive tract. A persistent desire to lick a part of one’s own body may be associated with dermatitis, a manifestation of a skin allergy caused by a wound.

Reasons why a kitten does not latch on

If an hour after birth the newborn does not suck, you need to take it in your palms and carefully, opening your mouth, look at the sky for the presence of a crack (cleft palate). If it is detected, this is bad, because even if the cat manages to suck milk, it will all come out through the nose and the baby will not survive.

If there is no cleft, then the non-sucking baby needs to squeeze two drops of medicine for animals - Travmatina - from a pipette into the mouth. It is allowed to drip every 30 minutes until the cat begins to suck milk.

In a situation where none of the above has solved the problem, you can try to give the baby a subcutaneous injection of Aminovit 0.3 ml or Gamavit - this will give strength to the little cub.

It happens that a cat does not have milk, because of this the baby does not suck. Then the newborn can be fed artificially with an analogue of cat's milk from a syringe without a needle or from a bottle specially designed for this purpose. There is a possibility that over time the kitten will develop a sucking reflex, the baby will gain strength and will still begin to suck mother’s milk.

The kitten does not suckle. What to do if the kitten cannot attach to the cat's chest?

To begin with, there is no need to rush; perhaps the kitten had a hard time being born and needs to come to its senses. Warm a non-suckling kitten. A heating pad works great. 1. Look, perhaps stronger brothers and sisters simply push the baby away, not allowing him to latch on. Try to move away the too playful babies and place the non-sucking kitten on the already “absorbed” nipple.

Squeeze out a drop of milk, open the kitten’s mouth and place it on the nipple.

2. If an hour after birth the baby has not latched on, take the kitten in your arms and carefully open its mouth, look at the palate to see if there is a cleft there (cleft palate). If there is, then this is very bad. Even if the kitten can start suckling, all the milk will come out through the spout and such a baby will not survive.

Sometimes, if the cleft is small, then a good veterinary clinic may try to put stitches and try feeding the kitten through a tube. But there is practically no chance that such a kitten will survive.

3. If there is no cleft, a kitten who does not suckle needs to drop 2 drops of the veterinary drug Travmatin into the mouth from a pipette. You can drip Travmatin every half hour until the kitten attaches itself to the nipple.

Travmatin into its mouth . But the kitten still does not suckle . Try giving him a subcutaneous injection of Gamavit 0.3 ml or aminovit . This complex of vitamins and amino acids will strengthen your kitten and give him strength.

Sometimes the kitten cannot latch on because the cat does not have milk, then these instructions will help.

We really hope that the kitten still latched onto it. If not, the kitten does not suckle, try artificially feeding the baby with a cat's milk substitute from a special bottle or syringe without a needle. Perhaps he will get stronger and begin to suckle on his own.

The video below shows how to feed a kitten artificially.

It happens that the kitten is bothered by the cat's anxiety.

But, unfortunately, there are pathologies in newborn kittens that cannot be detected visually (pathologies of internal organs that are incompatible with life). Try to fight for the kitten “to the last.” There are cases when kittens began to suckle 12 hours after birth. But don’t blame yourself if you couldn’t save the kitten, you did everything you could.

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Comments

Mikhail 01/08/2018 10:13 Good afternoon! Please tell me, the kitten got sick, sneezed and there was pus in the eye and on the nose, we treat it with chamomile and nasal drops for newborns, it has lost a lot of weight and does not suckle from its mother (((what to do please tell me!

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Dima 05/31/2017 07:29 Everything is bad with us so far nothing is working HE is weak and when he wakes up he seems to be dying and the first one has already died and the last one may die, we only have 4 of them

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Vera 01/26/2017 14:48 kitten is 5 days old. At first I gained normal weight. bad for two days. and today it's minus five. he doesn't suck the cat. You can somehow get it out. weak. Can I use baby milk for babies?

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Nataliyag 04/28/2016 05:51 I read it and decided to check if the kitten has clefts, it turns out he has one, which means he won’t be able to help, although we don’t have a veterinarian! I feel sorry for him.

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Tatyana 11/12/2015 09:06 Good evening. My cat gave birth to 6 kittens. The kittens were born very small. One was born dead, two more died after giving birth. then another kitten suddenly stopped suckling, its paws became cold, it lay on its side and squeaked. Please help me what to do. I feel very sorry for the kittens.

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Natalya 05/26/2015 18:36 I quote Yulia:

Good evening. The kitten was born last night, was breathing poorly and is not suckling, more than a day has passed - it still hasn’t started to suckle, but it is breathing better. What can you tell me? is there any hope that he will live?

If the kitten does not nurse, it must be fed, or it will starve.
Quote Julia 05/26/2015 18:25 good evening. The kitten was born last night, was breathing poorly and is not suckling, more than a day has passed - it still hasn’t started to suckle, but it is breathing better. What can you tell me? is there any hope that he will live?

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Alexander 04/09/2014 05:19 thank you for the informational help and special thanks for the moral support!

Quote

Inna 11/11/2013 05:42 Everything is written out very well, point by point, useful article, thank you!

Quote

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What is prohibited?

Some pet breeders recommend teaching kittens to fight the habit by spraying water on them. It is not recommended to use this method, as in this situation the pet may develop serious fears. In addition, a phobia of water often develops, which significantly complicates the existence of both the kitten and its owner. In this case, there can be no talk of any water procedures.

It is forbidden to scold a pet, much less beat it. The cat may misunderstand the owner and become afraid of him. The resulting stress will make the desire to suck objects even stronger. If you need to wean your baby off a female's breast, you may come across advice about spreading pepper or citrus juice on your cat's nipples. Doing this is strictly prohibited, since such manipulation can cause serious complications for both the kitten’s body and its mother. In such a situation, you will need to act in a different way and begin to temporarily separate the cats in different rooms. In this case, it is better to keep the baby busy with games. It is not recommended to leave your pet alone so that the sucking reflex does not switch to other objects.

What to do with your pet’s “oddities”

In search of the prematurely lost sensations of childhood, the cat tries to experience them by licking its tail or paw. It all depends on the time when the cat started sucking its tail. If the kitten is very small, you should not deprive him of this pleasure. The situation is completely different if the adult continues to suck the hair on its tail with stubborn consistency. In such cases, he risks harming his health, namely:

Stomach blockage. Constantly licking the tail can lead to excessive accumulation of hair debris in the cat's intestines. Hairs that are not removed by the body can pose a threat to the health of the animal and even lead it to the operating table.

Deterioration of the tail. The owner should check the condition of this part of the pet’s body daily. The skin may develop ulcers from frequent exposure to cat teeth and saliva.

It is important to prevent infection from getting into them, which can lead to the formation of purulent abscesses.

Baldness of the skin. Constantly being in the mouth of a four-legged animal can damage the hairs on the tail, as a result of which the latter may begin to go bald.

This is not the most beneficial state for the pet’s body, not to mention the aesthetic side of the issue.

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The cat refuses to feed

Cats do not refuse to feed their offspring because of bad character and willfulness. This is accompanied by psychological or physiological reasons. Let's look at the most common ones:

Stress. As a rule, it happens to first-born cats. But more often it is provoked by human intervention. If kittens are handled in the first few hours of life, the cat may be put off by the foreign smell. A poorly equipped nest, bright light, and crowded conditions will frighten the cat, and she will refuse to feed.
Hormonal disbalance. After childbirth, there may be increased anxiety caused by the body's inability to process glucose. The problem is solved with an insulin injection; the veterinarian will determine the exact diagnosis.
Too many offspring. If the litter is too large (5-6 kittens or more), there may not be enough milk for everyone. The cat identifies the weakest kittens and does not feed them in favor of the more viable ones. Then the owner will have to start feeding the deprived babies on his own.
Postpartum complications. Diseases that sometimes accompany the postpartum period cause physical pain to the cat and make the feeding process impossible.
Dormant maternal instinct. This can happen if the cat that gave birth is too young.
The animal went into estrus immediately after giving birth.
Weak condition after childbirth. It may turn out that the cat is just tired. Give her some rest and keep the kittens warm. To do this, place a heating pad in the nest, having previously wrapped it in a blanket.

What to do if the cat does not feed and abandoned her kittens?

If a cat does not feed her kittens, it is important to find the reason for the refusal. Perhaps a little rest or a secluded place can quickly correct the situation

If there are health problems, and the measures taken do not give quick results, the owner must begin to care for the newborns himself. Caring for cat offspring involves:

Feeding. The process of feeding kittens abandoned by their mother is labor-intensive. In the first week of life they need to be fed about ten times a day, and starting from the second week the number will be reduced to eight. Cow's or goat's milk is not suitable for feeding - it has the wrong composition. A special mixture can be purchased at a veterinary pharmacy or prepared yourself.

If the cat does not feed the kittens, the owner will have to take over feeding

Weight control. To make sure kittens are eating well, weigh them regularly. In the first weeks of life, kittens gain an average of about 10 grams per day. Newborn kittens cannot control the acts of defecation and urination; their mother helps them with this. Immediately after feeding, she licks the well-fed kittens, stimulating the gastrointestinal tract. To help babies, you will need a cotton swab dipped in warm water or oil

Immediately after feeding, gently massage the kitten's stomach and perineum with it. It is important to keep kittens warm. To do this, place a bottle of warm water wrapped in a terry towel in the nest.

The required temperature regime for newborn kittens changes in the first weeks. The first week is 27-32 degrees, the second is 27-29, the third is 24 degrees.

How can you tell if your cat is producing milk?

A cat not producing milk for her babies is anything but normal. During pregnancy, a cat's breasts prepare for future milk production. The glands increase in size, and immediately after childbirth they begin to produce colostrum. This first milk for cats is very nutritious and has an important immunological function. Kittens are vulnerable at birth, so they need protection from bacteria, viruses and anything that can affect their immune system. This is one of the reasons why a cat will nest before giving birth. They need to protect their newborn.

After colostrum, regular cat milk is produced. Milk is secreted through the nipples on the cat's chest. Kittens will grab with their mouths and knead their chests with their paws as they grow. This is done to stimulate lactation (milk production). This also helps the kittens bond with their mother.

Sometimes you may see milk leaking or just see it around your kitten's mouth. However, this will not always be the case. However, you can tell that milk is being produced if the kittens cuddle up to their mother's belly and suck on her nipples. Kittens intuitively know how to suck. They will nurse or sleep. When the mother has no problems with lactation, the kittens will be calm. They are well fed and their mother takes care of other needs. There should be no need to manipulate the mother's breasts to induce secretion.

First aid

The symptoms of any disease will manifest themselves very intensely and quickly, so if you suspect that something is wrong with your baby, you should not hesitate. If the baby is at least a month old, you need to stick to a starvation diet and consult a veterinarian. A newborn kitten cannot be left without feeding, so to protect its intestines, you need to use coating agents.

With serious health problems, the importance of diarrhea fades into the background. Any food taken by a kitten whose intestinal mucous membranes have been destroyed will only worsen the situation.

Contact your doctor without delay if you experience:

Diarrhea or vomiting repeated several times per hour.
Putrid odor of feces.
Green, black, white color of stool.
Transparent mucous discharge instead of feces.
Stool with inclusions of blood or fragments of mucous membranes (look like dark clots).

There is no need to panic if diarrhea was observed only once, and you assume that you overfed your baby. Constantly monitor the kitten's body temperature and the color of its mucous membranes. If your child sleeps lightly, the reason is most likely overeating. If your kitten is already eating solid food, after the onset of diarrhea, switch it to milk (2-3 feedings). Again, if the kitten remains healthy and active in appearance, the cause is most likely due to increased peristalsis.

Why doesn't a newborn kitten latch on?

The baby can cause a lot of trouble for its owners if it does not start sucking milk within a few hours after birth. Taking care of a newly born kitten on your own is quite difficult.

So why doesn't the kitten suckle the cat? This question plagues many lovers of furry creatures. Let's try to figure it out. Refusal of mother's milk can be a sign of certain diseases. Alternatively, it could be viral pneumonia, which is common in newborn kittens under six weeks of age.

Common symptoms of this disease:

baby's refusal of milk;
weakness;
plaintive meow.

The duration of the incubation period is up to six days. If the owner suspects the kittens have pneumonia, they need to call a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Another reason for a baby to refuse breast milk can be inflammation of the navel. It develops when the umbilical cord is chewed very briefly. Associated symptoms of inflammation – the baby looks depressed, and the baby’s body temperature is elevated. In such a situation, you also need to urgently call a specialist to save the kitten’s life.

What to do if a newborn kitten does not eat?

When a cat in a family gives birth to kittens, the breeder not only has a feeling of great joy and pride in the offspring, but also a sea of troubles associated with the babies. As you know, kittens require care and maintenance, and minor problems certainly cannot be avoided.

Breeding kittens is a complex process that requires patience and care, because from now on the breeder is responsible not only for the parent, but also for the entire cat family. There are several nuances here that allow you to raise strong and healthy offspring.

It is very important to remember that when mating cats, it is important to take into account the blood type, which then determines the nutrition and care of the pets. For example, if a cat with type B gives birth to offspring from a cat with blood type A, then for the first 24 hours of life the kittens should be fed exclusively with an artificial formula. This is necessary so that some babies do not die. The fact is that cat colostrum contains specific antibodies that can only harm newborns.

If such a need still exists, then you should not forget that artificial complementary foods are given exclusively in freshly prepared form and at a temperature of 38 degrees. Feed correctly from a syringe, and repeat such procedures every couple of hours.

However, what to do if the kitten does not want to eat, making a significant gap between adjacent meals? This often happens, but the main task of the breeder is to feed the lazy baby at all costs. In addition, it doesn’t hurt to find out what is causing this incomprehensible lack of appetite.

As it turned out in practice, there are many reasons for such reluctance, but in any case, a newborn kitten should be fed well, even if it is not mother’s milk, but a special artificial mixture from a pet store. It’s precisely this kind of complementary feeding for kittens that I want to talk about in a little more detail.

Fourthly, it is very important to pre-sterilize all used “ware”. Fifthly, do not give food under too much pressure so that the kitten can swallow the mixture normally and does not accidentally choke. Meeting all these requirements is very important for the cat's health.

So, if a newborn kitten is not eating, it is important to bottle feed it every two hours. Of course, it is best to raise babies on mother's milk, but it is clear that the cat will not “express” milk. That is why you can buy a cat milk substitute in a specialized store or prepare your own cat formula at home. By the way, in the latter case we are talking about a fortified product, which also raises strong and healthy offspring. In addition, this is an excellent economical option for all breeders.

Now as for the feeding itself: this process has its own characteristics. Firstly, all milk mixtures used in the diet must be preheated, but not overheated. Secondly, for the first ten days of a kitten’s life, feeding should take place every 2-3 hours, and night time is no exception. Thirdly, the kitten must be fed using a small bottle with a nipple or a syringe.

What to feed your cat

If a cat does not have milk after a difficult birth, this will immediately be noticeable in the behavior of the kittens: they constantly squeak because they cannot get enough. What is recommended for you to do is to give your pet water to drink immediately after she gives birth.

At the same time, it is important to take care of changing the diet for an adult pet. Include kefir, cottage cheese, cream, chicken yolks in your daily menu

As for tailed babies, special mixtures will need to be prepared for them. You can also buy milk - a few spoons a day will be enough for a kitten. The main thing is to give preference to a product that is not too fatty.

In the first days of a kittens' life, they will need to be fed every 2.5 hours, even at night. When the kittens are 1.5–2 months old, you can gradually include other foods in the daily diet: boiled or raw meat, fish, etc.

However, at this age, formula or porridge is not the last treat. Without its use at an early age, kittens may develop digestive problems.

Chubby and weak kittens

What are the signs other than refusal to eat? We listen to the chest - wheezing, look at the tummy - is it swollen, hard or soft? There’s no way he’s going to look like a squanderer anymore, except that when feeding him liquid could get into his lungs if he was force-fed. Indigestion could result from excessive feeding, which is also an unpleasant and dangerous thing at this age. Maybe the development of organs from birth is incompatible with life..

Vitamin bombs from Softcat

glucose 5% – 1 ml

ascorbic acid - 0.5 ml

saline solution - 3.5 ml

1 ml 2-3 times a day, every 2-3 hours, subcutaneously. Do not inject the entire volume at once! the heart cannot cope with such a volume of fluid

cocktail for weakened kittens

Glucose 5% – 2 ml

Ringer-Locke solution - 2 ml

Traumeel - 0.2 ml

Catozal – 0.5 ml

All ingredients are taken into one syringe and injected into the withers (depot) once a day. This volume can be divided into two injections - morning and evening. Doesn't suck because he doesn't have enough strength. Continue feeding artificially. As soon as he gets stronger, he starts sucking.

scheme for kittens that suck poorly

Gamavit 0.5 subcutaneously once a day for 5 days.

Place Traumeel in your mouth, 2 drops 2 times a day.

Catozal 0.5 subcutaneously once a day for 5 days.

Glucose + Ringer 1 ml in one syringe = 2 ml subcutaneously 2 times a day for 5 days.

0.5 ml Gamavit separately 1 time per day

2 - 3 times a day, every two hours, 1 ml of ringer-locka solution, if the kitten is very weak and does not gain weight

You need to make sure that the little one suckles for the first 3-5 days. Sucked for at least 20 minutes, every 2 hours. So that his littermates do not knock him off the nipple. And then everything will get better.

If the weight gain is normal, then do nothing, and if not, then give him vitamins. Gamavit 0.5 + glucose 5% 0.5 in one syringe subcutaneously. And personally monitor it: hang it on the sucked nipples so that it sucks. I sit over the nest for at least 24 hours, observing the alarming ones. Usually two to three days after giving birth, a maximum of a week, everything gets better.

The main thing is that the kittens gain weight and not lose it. Kittens up to three weeks of age cannot regulate their body temperature, this is how nature works. Therefore, the nest must be warm. 28 degrees, provided that the cat spends more time with the kittens. When body temperature drops below normal, kittens completely lose their sucking reflex

You can't overheat either. There is reason to think that this contributes to the development of flat chest.

They correctly write about supercooled ones; warm them up for at least 40 minutes. I warm it on my chest, away from my body and then into the warmth on a heating pad or with my mother cat. If the heating pad is hot, you need to lay it on top so that it is warm. The main thing is that there is a constant temperature in the nest. I have good warmth, smaller than a tent-nest. Especially if the cat gets hot, it moves to the side

If we assume pneumonia, then it is necessary to inject an antibiotic now (diuretic, prednisolone, vitamin cocktail and force feeding). If you’re just cold and haven’t eaten, or are weak, just warm it up, inject it with catozal, for example, feed it a couple of times, and then you have to suckle the cat yourself.

Look at the palate, warm it for at least 40 minutes, drop some traumatin and try to apply it to the nipple. Gamavit 0.5 at the withers and a vitamin cocktail or ringera-locka subcutaneously 1 ml every two hours 2-3 times a day, Mexidol per 100g - 0.1 ml.

What can you do to relieve bloating - espumisan. Espumisan (sub-simplex) 6-8 drops 2-3 times a day. If this does not help, add motilium suspension - ONE SMALLEST division in the measuring syringe (on an empty stomach).

No enemas are allowed for such small children, and with vegetable oil and adults are not allowed (only with Vaseline is possible).

It freezes, so food is not digested quickly. Feed at the same time as everyone else, but less. Maybe discomfort. After all, the cat has colostrum for the first day, and you feed it with formula. Maybe it doesn't work. Indigestion is also no good. It’s better to tease him with a cocktail for now than to overfeed him. You bet everything for 5 days, if she actively sucks the cocktail herself, you won’t have to bet it anymore. Gamavit, catozal kolem 5 days, 1 time per day

Gamavit 0.3 ml subcutaneously. In severe cases, up to 0.5 ml 2 times a day. Gamavit in this dose in severe cases serves as parenteral nutrition

Traumeel/traumatin 0.1-0.2 ml subcutaneously. Glucose 5% warm subcutaneously 3-4 ml per day. Fosprenil 0.5 ml orally 2 times 10 minutes before feeding. Liarsin 0.5 ml subcutaneously once a day is also good. And feed them yourself every 2 hours. Vitamin “bombs” from Softcat 2-3 times a day (1 ml 5% glucose + 0.5 ascorbic acid + 3.5 saline), 1 ml subcutaneously, repeat after 2-3 hours, repeat after the same period of time. Total 3 times a day, 1 ml dose

Butasal-100 is a new product that is better than catozal and has not yet been counterfeited. You gain weight and that’s the most important thing. The fact that it was squelching is bad, it shouldn’t happen. So far so good, but there’s no need to relax. At least two weeks is the most dangerous period for the development of pneumonia in chicks. They huddle together - wonderful. Kittens that are unwell crawl to the side, lethargic, and begin to throw back their heads. After the pacifier, persistently offer the cat's nipple.

Gamavit is a general strengthening, tonic remedy, a stimulator of the functions of all internal organs, and relieves intoxication.

Catosal is a stimulator of metabolism and growth. Promotes maximum absorption of incoming nutrients and minerals. Don't be afraid - inject. You can inject 4 ml and after 30 minutes another 4 ml. It will be absorbed immediately and quickly. Do not be alarmed; immediately upon injection, a lump will form at the injection site and will quickly disappear. If there is dehydration, it disappears (absorbed) instantly, so that even a lump does not form.

Kittens are very light weight for their age. Tetravit (tetrahydrovit is better, it contains vitamin C), subcutaneously, 0.2 ml, once every 5-7 days, 4-5 injections. Kittens “rise” well on this.

When feeding with a syringe (weak kitten / lack of sucking reflex), inject into the mouth very slowly. If snorting or droplets of milk appear from the nostrils, stop feeding immediately and blot the muzzle (remove liquid from the nose). Otherwise, you can pour it into your lungs. If it does get into the lungs - there will be a characteristic wheezing sound when breathing - place the kitten exactly between your palms and swing it head down like on a pendulum so that the liquid flows back out.

Feed every hour or two, break at night for 3-4 hours. I increased the interval between feedings when I started eating more than 3-5 ml at a time. It’s convenient to keep a table - time / how much eaten / weight before meals / supplements (Gamavit, juice, etc.). This is especially true when they start eating more than 2 ml at a time, because... a kitten can eat more (5-7 ml) at one feeding, and less (1-2 ml) at another; the total count per day gives a more complete picture.

If the kittens continued to sleep, although it was time to eat, they were woken up by lightly stroking them. When the kitten raised its head, they picked it up and first began to “do the toilet” by massaging the belly, then feeding it, then massaging it again. In the absence of a mother, it is necessary

heating pad (I used a water heating pad the old fashioned way, filling it with hot water from the tap and wrapping it in 1 layer of a thick towel), refreshing the water every 2-3 hours

massage the tummies (you can before and after meals) to stimulate digestion and bowel movements (they usually wrote immediately after waking up, pooping as it happens)

under the skin, Ringer's solution heated to 37-38 degrees. 1.5-2 ml + gamavit 0.5 ml.

Warm the kitten, warm it, warm it. Constantly. If you have a heating pad, great! Feed only heated milk, not cream. Buy concentrated milk from Dairy Country cans. Dilute 4 parts milk to 1 part water. The only way. Now 1 ml of water and 4 ml of milk per feeding will be enough for him. And each feeding is 0.5 bifidum. Lift them by the scruff of the neck - they sag (like a reflex for being carried by the mother) - and then stab! In the absence of a sucking reflex: Traumatin 3-5 drops every 30 minutes until the condition normalizes

We feed artificially, but it is very advisable to apply it to the mother, let him suckle at least a little. The kitten can fall asleep with the nipple in its mouth, watch it, the mouth should make sucking movements, as soon as it stops, we tickle the nose (where the quills are) with a finger, you can stroke the head and back, it should wake up, it should suck for at least 15-20 minutes. And only then do we supplement.

Apply to those nipples that other kittens have just sucked on. A kitten may not take just any nipple. Try it. Whichever one you take, lay it next time. If the mother does not suckle, we feed her artificially. Weight control is a must.

Traumeel - it needs to be dripped into the mouth a couple of drops before feeding. Then the baby will latch on well

What kittens need in the first days of life

Kittens have needs, and if you meet them, you can ensure that the little ones will grow and develop in accordance with their age. There can be many reasons for breastfeeding. Among them:

the birth was difficult, the cat requires treatment or surgery;
kittens were left without a mother;
the new mother lost her milk;
irresponsible previous owners threw away the kittens.

To avoid dooming babies to certain death, carry out a number of manipulations:

If their fur is wet, dry it with a towel or napkins. Then warm up using the heat of your own palms or a heating pad. Carefully inspect the kitten for damage.

Pay special attention to the face, make sure that the baby is breathing through the nose. Check if all reflex functions are in order. To do this, pat your baby on the tummy; he should try to lie on his back

Now bring your palm to his muzzle, the kitten will look for the nipple. Examine the umbilical cord, it should be short. If this is not the case, there will be a “bag” hanging on the end. Don't panic, take the following steps:

turn your furry friend upside down;
place it on a soft surface or on your feet;
lift the bag with the umbilical cord so that everything flows out of it into the kitten’s belly;
sterilize the scissors;
measure 1-1.5 cm from the stomach, cut off the umbilical cord;
arm yourself with brilliant green, lubricate the umbilical cord and the area next to it.

Make sure the kitten is healthy. If you find that he is having trouble breathing, it will be intermittent, hoarse, through his mouth, go to the vet immediately!

Small kittens cannot control their body temperature due to the lack of thermoregulation. If babies become hypothermic, pneumonia develops and death often occurs immediately. So make sure your baby is warm.

Setting up a den for newborn kittens

Even the tiniest, still blind kittens can scatter in search of their mother, food or a source of warmth. To avoid trouble, it is necessary to exclude the possibility of escaping from the “nest”. The traditional, time-tested option is a cardboard box. Newborn kittens will not soon be able to get out of it on their own. The box should not be a shoe box, but with high walls.

Cardboard is a warm and safe material, and if the box becomes unusable, you can simply throw it away and replace it with a new one. An alternative is a deep plastic box or container, but in this case the ventilation is worse, and the container itself will have to be washed and disinfected periodically.

Place bedding on the bottom. A convenient option is disposable absorbent diapers, but the downside is that it can bunch up and clump if you do not attach it with tape or an adhesive edge. Fleece has proven itself to be excellent - it dries quickly, is warm and soft. Woolen products are absolutely not suitable, although they are often placed on kittens for “entourage”. The claws may get tangled in the fur, causing injury to the kitten. In addition, babies acquire the bad habit of sucking wool and may swallow thread.

Growth stages and needs of kittens from 0 to 30 days

There are three reasons why you will have to feed orphaned babies:

Your cat had a difficult time giving birth and required surgery or treatment.

The young mother's milk did not come.

You found newborn kittens thrown to certain death and could not pass by.

In the last option, without delay, we do the following manipulations:

We thoroughly dry the kittens if their fur is wet. We warm the babies with a heating pad or in our hands.

We examine the face; the kitten should breathe through its nose.

We check the reflexes, the baby should poke his muzzle into the palm in search of the nipple and try to roll over on his back from stroking his tummy.

We examine the tummy, the umbilical cord should be short. If the umbilical cord is long and there is a “pouch” at its end, do not panic, this is the kitten’s “place”: Place the baby on a towel with his stomach up.
Lift the umbilical cord so that all the contents flow into the baby's tummy.
Cut the umbilical cord with sharp, sterile scissors 1–1.5 cm from the abdomen.
Treat the umbilical cord and the area around it with green paint.

Important! If you find your newborn has breathing problems—sharp, jerky breathing, wheezing—consult your veterinarian. Kittens lack thermoregulation; when hypothermia occurs, the development of pneumonia is almost immediate, which explains the high mortality rate

To understand how to feed small kittens without a cat, you need to determine their age and current condition:

0–3 days – eyes and ears are tightly closed, the umbilical cord is fresh, they squeak loudly when they feel hungry, weight is 70–90 grams.

1–2 weeks – the shape of the eyes is clearly visible, in “early” kittens the eyelids begin to open, the umbilical cord dries out.

2-3 weeks - the eyes are open, the ears begin to rise, but the kitten still does not eat on its own, and the baby front teeth are emerging.

4 weeks – the kitten walks, tries to play, fangs erupt, and is able to learn to eat on its own.

The first three days are decisive in the life of “orphans”; even with adequate nutrition and care, the likelihood of mortality is high.

This chapter provides a description of the cat's labor , assistance with childbirth and feeding kittens.

As a result of the fusion of two sex cells (gametes) - an egg and a sperm, fertilization occurs. Fertilization in a cat occurs at the top of the fallopian tube. Fertilized eggs are called zygotes. Zygotes move towards the uterus and attach to the mucous membrane of the uterus - the placenta, which serves to supply the embryos with oxygen and nutrients. Duration of pregnancy in domestic cats. on average 65 days. An interval of 63 to 68 days is considered normal. Bengal cats have an average gestation period of 64 days. A visible indicator that a cat is “pregnant” is the redness of the mammary glands (nipples) around the 21st day of pregnancy. The cat's nipples increase in size and are easy to spot among the fur. The color of a cat's nipples varies, from intense pink (different from the color of the skin around them) to crimson red. Pregnant cats become calm, peaceful, sleep a lot, and their pace of life noticeably slows down. From the third week, a competent specialist can palpate the fetus. At one month of pregnancy, the cat's fetuses are already beginning to move. During pregnancy, do not allow traumatic situations for the cat. Don't scare her, make sure she doesn't jump from a height. The use of medications during pregnancy (if such a need arises) should be strictly regulated and chosen only in consultation with a competent doctor. By later stages, a brownish secretion may accumulate around the cat's nipples. The nipples themselves become greatly enlarged, and the skin on them is often dry and cracked. About a week before giving birth, the cat becomes restless and looks for a place to give birth. Be sure to prepare a place where the cat will be with the kittens after giving birth. One-and-a-half-size square exhibition tents are perfect for this purpose. They can easily restrict the movement of kittens and prevent them from crawling out of the nest. The signal for the cat to give birth is the release of the “plug”. It is usually a thick, reddish-brown, viscous substance. Before birth, the cat's rectal temperature drops by 1.5-2 degrees. The cat's behavior becomes nervous, she meows and fusses. Primiparous cats show more anxiety because the experiences and sensations are new and unfamiliar to them. A first-time cat may run around the room and rush around during the birth process. Therefore, it is necessary to limit the cat’s movement to an equipped place during childbirth. At the beginning of labor, the cat's contractions are not strong. As contractions become more frequent and intensified, you can wait for the kitten to appear. KITTENS in a normal position should follow the birth canal and be born head first. They are located in a bladder connected by the umbilical cord and blood vessels to the placenta (afterbirth). A normal cat birth requires minimal human intervention. However, with Bengal cats, varying degrees of obstetric care are often required. The kitten, after birth, must be freed from the bladder, the umbilical cord must be cut 1.5-2 cm from the kitten's . In a normal situation, these manipulations are performed by the cat itself. However, in our case, cats often refuse to do this on their own, and the cat’s owner is forced to perform the release of the kittens from the bladder, cutting the umbilical cord, and rubbing the kitten after birth. To give birth to a cat you will need:

1. A specially equipped place for the cat to give birth 2. Disposable absorbent diapers. 3. Medical syringes (insulin and 2 ml) 4. Hydrogen peroxide or medical alcohol 5. Oxytocin 6. Gamavit, roncoleukin 7. Vaseline or sunflower oil. (You will read about the application below) The intervals between the birth of kittens in a cat can range from 10-15 minutes to 1 hour or more. After the birth of a kitten, the placenta must come out. Watch the process carefully. The number of afterbirths should be equal to the number of kittens . Sometimes it is possible to give birth to two kittens in a row and to have two placentas after them. The afterbirth remaining in the birth canal causes decomposition and, as a result, can cause severe intoxication of the giving birth cat. The consequences for the cat can be very serious. Newborn kittens weigh on average 60-90 grams. Kittens weighing below 60 grams are often not viable. Kittens begin suckling milk within an hour after birth. Be careful! In newborn kittens, the sucking reflex disappears very quickly. Check carefully whether all the kittens have latched on and whether they are all sucking milk normally. Kittens that do not latch on in the first hour and a half to two hours will cause you a lot of trouble. And if they don’t start eating on their own, there is a chance for them to go out, but it’s minimal.

Obstetrics and pathologies of kittens: Often the birth of a cat requires active participation from the breeder. The minimum assistance during childbirth consists of freeing the kitten from the placenta, cutting the umbilical cord, and rubbing it with a towel. But, unfortunately, not all cat births go smoothly. The correct position for a kitten during birth is head first. However, it happens when kittens are born tail first. During normal labor this is not a problem. It is also not uncommon for a kitten to fail to appear on its own for a long time. Or, if it appears on its own, it will spend a long time in the cat’s birth canal and choke. The signal that the cat needs help is strong contractions, but the kitten cannot be born. Either the kitten's hind legs or tail are visible from the vagina. During contractions they look out, and at the end of the contraction they go back inside. In this case, you need to hook the kitten's hind legs above the joint. You can only pull the kitten out with a contraction. The contraction has begun, the cat is straining, you gently but persistently pull the kitten back and towards the stomach and only together with the contraction. When the contraction ends, you hold the kitten so that it does not go back into the birth canal, but under no circumstances pull it. Usually the kitten can be extracted during the 2nd or 3rd contraction. If the kitten’s paws cannot be picked up above the joint, or only the kitten’s tail peeks out, you need to lubricate the cat’s fingers and vulva with Vaseline or vegetable oil, insert your fingers into the vagina and feel the legs. Then, with a contraction, pull the kitten out. If the kitten's paws are tucked under the belly, you can very carefully pull the kitten out by the root of the tail. However, be extremely careful. The intervals between kittens can vary quite significantly. A cat can give birth to 2-3 kittens in a row and take a long pause. What should alert you is the fact that after the last kitten and placenta there were contractions, but no more kittens were born, and there was a sudden pause. In this case, you can give your cat an injection of oxytocin. Dosage 0.2 ml intramuscularly. Oxytocin provokes the resumption of labor. Usually, within 5-15 minutes after the injection, the cat’s contractions resume. Oxytocin is used in the indicated dosage at intervals of 40 minutes, the total amount of the drug is not more than 1 ml. Be careful when using the drug, follow the dosage. Oxytocin can be injected into a cat only during labor and in no case before the onset of labor. This can cause the cat's uterus to rupture due to strong contractions. Oxytocin is used during long breaks, or if you are not sure that labor is over and all the placenta has come out. Oxytocin will make sure of this and cause muscle contraction at the end of labor. To stimulate contractions, a regular abdominal massage is also used. But this is a significantly less effective remedy. More as a support than a solution to the problem.

Help for kittens : Situations often arise in which a kitten spends a long time in the cat’s birth canal. Be careful! If you see that an inflated dense bubble with liquid appears before the kitten, the bubble bursts and the liquid flows out, try to help the kitten appear within 10-15 minutes after that. A kitten deprived of amniotic fluid reflexively wants to breathe and inhales fluid in the birth canal. As a result, he can either drink heavily or choke. A newborn kitten that has inhaled amniotic fluid usually wheezes, coughs, and sneezes. It is very important to clear his mouth and nose of mucus. If the kitten has drunk a lot, you need to wrap it tightly in a towel, take it firmly in your palm so that the head and body are well fixed, and shake it several times carefully, but quite sharply, like a thermometer, lowering the kitten head down. This is necessary for the liquid to come out of the nose and throat. If necessary, place a cloth or gauze on the kitten's face and suck out the liquid from the nose with your mouth. Such choked people may have breathing problems for several days, they cough and sneeze. A loss of sense of smell results in a lack of taste. Kittens cannot find the nipple, spit it out, and do not eat well. Such kittens require careful attention and control. In acute cases, when the kitten spent a long time in the birth canal and was pressed hard by the cat during birth, the kitten may be born with weak signs of life, cyanotic, with a protruding tongue. It is necessary to quickly free it from mucus, cut the umbilical cord properly, and rub it vigorously with a terry towel (this stimulates blood circulation). To stimulate the body, you can give an injection of roncoleukin and gamavit (0.2 + 0.5 ml in one syringe). The primary task is to make the kitten breathe, then you can put it on the cat, she will continue the massage, licking the kitten. Indications for caesarean section If a cat experiences prolonged intense contractions and the kitten does not appear, this is a signal to contact a veterinarian. You should be alarmed if you observed liquid discharge from the loop (the amniotic sac burst and amniotic fluid came out) and after that, within 30-40 minutes, the kitten did not appear during intense contractions. It is also possible that contractions will fade away 30-40 minutes or more after the amniotic fluid has passed. This means that the kitten is stuck in the birth canal and requires medical attention. Before giving birth, stock up on the phone number of a veterinary clinic or a trusted veterinarian who can come to you at any time of the day.

Pathologies of newborn kittens: Unfortunately, in his practice, a breeder sometimes encounters defects that are incompatible with life or that interfere with further breeding work. Cleft palate This is a hereditary recessive defect in which in kittens the oral cavity communicates with the nasal cavity through an open upper palate. Such kittens are visible as soon as they begin to suckle milk. Milk bubbles out through the nose. Such kittens must be euthanized, since this defect cannot be cured. If they are not euthanized, they die of exhaustion in the first week of life. Open abdominal wall Sometimes kittens are born with an open abdominal wall, resulting in the kitten's intestines being partially located outside. Such kittens are not viable. The birth of such kittens may be a consequence of the use of hormonal drugs (including contraceptives). Non-correction of the tail This may be a crease or missing part of the tail. Such a defect can be a consequence of labor, the effect of medications used on the cat during pregnancy, and is caused by hereditary factors. Tails are easy to inspect at birth for correctness. Flat Rib A newborn kitten has a compressed chest, as if it had been cut off. A flat area is formed between the front legs, and on the sides of the body the ribs have a pronounced angle, as if they were bent at a right, or almost right, angle. The kitten's breathing is rapid. Such kittens cannot fully develop; their internal organs are compressed by their ribs, like a corset. As a rule, they live up to 3-4 months. They try to correct the ribs using homemade corsages, but they are not always effective. Kittens with a pronounced defect must be euthanized. The appearance of this defect can be either hereditary or acquired during fetal development. Kitten fading syndrome: Unfortunately, the causes of this syndrome have not been studied. There can be many reasons, triggered by both hereditary diseases and acquired ones. Extinction syndrome develops in newborn, apparently healthy kittens and is expressed in the absence of a sucking reflex, refusal to eat, and slow extinction. Feline eclampsia: Postnatal shock state of the body associated with a sharp decrease in intracellular calcium concentration. Eclampsia is a dangerous phenomenon that can be fatal. The disease can develop in a cat during the prenatal period, more often during childbirth and immediately after it, as well as in the postnatal period within 3 weeks after birth. Symptoms: increased body temperature, tachycardia, convulsions. Intravenous administration of calcium gluconate (10% solution) is used as treatment. Dose 2 to 5 ml per cat. Depending on the degree of calcium reduction in the body and the size of the cat. In case of eclampsia, the litter is separated from the mother for 24 hours and transferred to artificial feeding. In late cases of eclampsia, kittens are taken away from their mother. Cats that have experienced attacks of eclampsia are prescribed calcium carbonate added to the food (100 mg of calcium per 1 kg of cat weight), as well as vitamin D. Prevention in the form of calcium administration during pregnancy is contraindicated because this can lead to calcium imbalance. Resorption (resorption of embryos): The phenomenon of embryo resorption is poorly understood. For a long time this was considered an ephemeral concept, a mistake. However, in practice, actual cases have been established of a decrease in the number of embryos during pregnancy and complete resorption of all embryos. The mechanism of this phenomenon has not been studied

Raising kittens The weight of newborn kittens is an indicator of the health and well-being of the babies. Having electronic household scales will help you timely and daily monitor your kitten's condition and weight gain. An alarming signal is that the kitten stops gaining weight, and even more so when the kitten loses weight. In such cases, additional feeding and monitoring of the kitten’s body temperature are required. The reasons for losing weight or stopping weight gain can be different and due to both external and internal indicators. Kittens with congenital defects of internal organs fade and die often during the first week of life. The reason for a kitten's poor weight gain may be the cat's milk - it may be supplied to the kitten in insufficient quantities or have insufficient nutritional value (have a depleted composition). Kittens are fed from a special bottle with a thin nipple, from a pipette, or simply from an insulin syringe with a removable needle. A newborn kitten in the first three days of life can eat 1 ml of mixture or more. The mixture is used: - ready-made milk substitute of any well-known brand of cat food - dry milk formulas for infants from 0 months (they have a slightly different composition than cat milk, it can be used as a substitute, in the absence of other substitutes) A common problem bottle-fed kittens are diarrhea and bloating. This can be prevented by adding to the mixture a remedy for gases for infants, such as Sub-Simplex (1-2 drops per 1 ml of milk formula), as well as bifidum-bacterin (calculated by weight), which populates the intestinal flora and promotes the digestion process. In case of severe stomach upsets, it is necessary to avoid dehydration, which can occur very quickly in small kittens. To restore the water-salt balance, use subcutaneous injections of saline, glucose (pay attention to the concentration) or Ringer-Locke solution. The volume of fluid administered to a kitten once is 2-4 ml. It is very easy to understand that a kitten has become dehydrated. It is enough to take it by the scruff of the neck with two fingers, and if after pinching the kitten’s skin comes apart slowly, or even completely sticks, then measures must be taken. THE FIRST MONTH OF A KITTEN’S LIFE is a very important period. At the age of 3-5 days, the kitten's auditory canals open and the kitten begins to hear. At the age of 6-14 days, kittens' EYES OPEN. Milk TEETH begin to grow in kittens after the second week of life, fangs grow later - at 3-4 weeks. The kitten begins to crawl immediately after birth, and can lift its body onto its legs by the 3rd week. At one month old, kittens are already starting to walk, but coordination of movements is not yet fully developed.

How to feed newborn kittens

Let's consider the most difficult option, how to feed a newborn kitten without a cat. You found and brought home frozen kittens at the age of 1–2 hours. Your next steps are as follows:

Holding the babies in your arms, boil any milk you can get.

Cool the milk to 36–38 C°.

We place the baby on his stomach in a box with a low side. We hold the kitten by the back and gently press on the cheekbones, opening the mouth slightly.

Gently insert the nipple into your mouth and press down on the bottle to squeeze out a drop of milk. If the baby does not suck, stroke his head and forehead - this is what a cat does, stimulating the kittens to suck more actively.

Feed until the belly is “rounded” and the kitten “falls off” the nipple; most often, a well-fed baby immediately falls asleep.

If you haven’t had time to buy/make a bottle and are using a syringe, practice in advance! The syringe cannot be inserted into the animal’s mouth, the kitten can injure the gums, your task is to squeeze out the milk drop by drop, allowing the baby to lick it off. Be careful! With this method of feeding, the kitten takes in a lot of air. After feeding, carry the baby in a “column” on your shoulder, stroking his back - he will burp air, then feed the kitten.

After feeding, the babies will need your help. Usually, a mother cat carefully licks her tummy and genital area during feeding. When bottle feeding, you will need a cotton swab or piece of gauze and medical gloves. Soak the swab in warm water and gently massage the kitten's abdomen and genital area clockwise, continue until the baby defecates. If the procedure is done after feeding, the baby needs to be supplemented.

Causes of diarrhea in newborn kittens

Let us immediately note that when treating adult cats and kittens, there are certain nuances, as in adult medicine and pediatrics, the approaches are different. Diarrhea in a newborn kitten can be considered frequent defecation of liquid feces with a strong odor and (most often) foam.

If you are feeding a kitten, you need to pay attention not only to digestion, but also to the condition of the skin. Allergies almost always cause redness and itching, but a newborn kitten cannot itch and these symptoms become hidden

Normally, a newborn kitten's stool is yellow, soft, but not liquid. If the color of the stool is not changed, but you observe foamy discharge, the cause is most likely worms. A kitten can become infected with parasites in the womb and in this case, unfortunately, nothing can be done. We can only hope that he will live to an age when anthelmintic prevention will not kill him. If you find a newborn kitten on the street, it may also be affected by simpler types of worms, but they all multiply and develop quickly. Be sure to contact your veterinarian if your kitten's tummy looks bloated or feels hard to the touch.

A hard, bloated belly may indicate a worm infestation or flatulence. Increased gas formation is associated with fermentation in the intestines, that is, food is not digested, but decomposes. This is due to a violation of the intestinal microflora, when instead of friendly bacteria, it is populated by pathogenic cultures.

Loose stools in a newborn kitten can be caused by common mistakes made by owners:

A sharp change in the type of nutrition - transfer from mother's milk to artificial feeding.
Absorption of too much food - often observed with artificial feeding. If a newborn kitten is constantly overfed, its intestines will adapt to digesting more food, but there will be consequences. At one month of age, when the baby begins to receive solid complementary foods, he will feel hungry and overeat without your intervention.

Thus, from an early age, the kitten has problems with metabolism and the stability of the intestinal microflora. It is known that food that is not digested remains in the intestines and decomposes, that is, rots. In the future, this phenomenon will cause recurrent diarrhea.

Treatment at this age is very difficult and the baby will most likely die, but this does not mean that there is no need to try to save him

In case of a viral illness, it is extremely important for a kitten to receive cat milk, and not a milk substitute.

Why doesn't the cat have milk?

Although it is very rare, a mother cat may not have milk for her kittens. If you want to know how to tell if a cat is not producing milk, we can look at the health of kittens. Kittens will moan and look for food. They will climb on top of each other and try unsuccessfully to feed.

Well-fed kittens will noticeably gain weight around their bellies after feeding. If they haven't eaten, this won't happen. Kittens that cannot feed will soon become dehydrated, cold, restless and more susceptible to illness. If we don't intervene quickly, the kittens will die. The first thing we need to do is take them to the vet. They will be able to confirm that the cause is indeed insufficient milk production, and not some other pathology. They will also be able to provide emergency nutrition or fluid therapy if needed.

The reasons why a cat does not produce milk are difficult to determine. They could have been caused :

Genetics : It is possible that your cat will have a genetic problem that prevents her from producing milk. It is impossible to solve this problem, so cats will have to be fed artificially. The mother may not realize that she cannot breastfeed.
Malnutrition : When a mother cat is preparing to give birth, she will feed regularly and prepare her body. She may stop eating shortly before giving birth, but this is because she needs to nest and get ready. However, if she was not given enough food or could not eat for any reason (such as a bad tooth, throat problem, etc.), she may not be able to produce enough milk.
Infection : If the mother cat has an infection, bacterial or viral, it may affect her chest. Mastitis is the word for inflammation of a cat's breasts. If your breasts are swollen, they may not produce milk. However, it must be a serious infection to prevent all nipples from producing milk. Regardless of whether a cat can produce milk or not, kittens should not attempt to nurse. The infection can be transmitted and cause harm to them, especially in their vulnerable state.
Other medical condition : There may be other medical conditions that interfere with your cat's feeding. This includes problems such as breast cancer, but the extent will depend on how advanced the disease is.
Stress : A cat under extreme stress may be unable to produce milk. This is due to the fact that kittens produce the hormone oxytocin when feeding. The so-called “happiness hormone” oxytocin is necessary for milk production. If your cat is under extreme stress, this can lead to a lack of oxytocin and an inability to eat.

Recognizing the signs that your cat is not producing milk is vital. You need to act quickly, otherwise the kittens may become malnourished and die without intervention.

Cleanliness of the body and training in neatness

A newborn kitten cannot defecate on its own: its mother helps it by licking its belly and perineum. This is a completely normal natural process that cannot be interfered with. This way the nest is kept clean without human intervention. In the wild, this mechanism serves to protect the den from other predatory animals that may be attracted by the smell of excrement.

If you notice that one of your babies is having trouble urinating or defecating, you can help by gently massaging the perineum with a damp cotton swab, or seek help from your veterinarian.

Attention! Kittens should not be washed until at least the 9th week of life. Discharge from the eyes can be removed with a clean cotton pad moistened with boiled water.