Raising Orphan Kittens Part 3

Litter box and a bag of litter

Litter Box Training

The perfect time to introduce the baby kitten to litter box is on his 4th week of age. Place him in the litter box after every meal. Show him how to scratch in the litter by taking his paw and start digging the sand or litter. He will surely catch on quickly.

Love and Attention

The baby kitten needs emotional closeness aside from the food and warmth that you give. Let him snuggle with you and pet him more often. Experts say that hand raised kittens show greater loyalty, deeper affection to owners, and show higher intelligence. Lots of handling for kittens make them easier to train as well. 

Milestones

Kittens start playing at the age 
of 4 weeks

A kitten usually weighs 2-4 ounces at birth. He should double in body weight by the end of his first week. On his 8th day, he should open his eyes for the first time. For two more weeks his eyes will remain blue. The real eye color will only appear until he is about 3 months old. The ears will begin to stand up on his second week. He will try to walk on his third week. On the fourth week, the kitten will start playing with his litter mates and develop his teeth. As to the timing of the necessary vaccinations, go check it with your vet. On 8th week, the kitten should be ready for adoption and if he's in good health he can be spayed and neutered.

Health Problems

Sick baby kitten

Adopted orphan kittens are very vulnerable to diseases. Take them to the vet immediately at the first symptom of abnormal behavior or loss of appetite. Upper respiratory infections and colds are caused by viruses which claim many kittens every  year. Chlamydia is one of these organisms which cause permanent eye damage to kitten's eyes. It could result to blindness if bacteria invade the infected eye. The eyeball can be badly scarred even by a lesser infection. 

Worms, food changes, and even overfeeding could result to diarrhea. The result of this is dehydration if it is not managed properly and it could be fatal. Feline distemper is a chronic danger to baby kittens as well, especially those babies who did not have their mother's antibodies. It is an airborne, very contagious fatal disease.

A Final Word

Having  a mother cat is still a kitten's
best chance to survive

Raising and caring for an orphan baby kitten is a hard work, even the most conscientious foster mother may lose the baby kitty. The foster mother should not blame herself should the baby kitten die, nor should she accept the credit if the kitty thrives. A baby kitten is most likely to die at birth, in his 1st week, or while weaning. But you have a good chance of raising poor orphaned kittens with accurate information and the ability to care.