Help orphaned litters get a good start

It’s spring and baby animals are here. Unfortunately, some will be abandoned, their mothers will be killed or they will be inadvertently separated from their mothers. Orphaned animals need special care often best left to someone experienced.

Young kittens can make a good show of ferocity even at a very tender age. Perhaps that is why so many people think it isn’t hard to take care of a baby kitten. We get a lot of calls at Alaska Cat Adoption Team asking to adopt out very young kittens. We don’t. Young kittens, like all babies, need special food and care. If mother cat isn’t there to give it, it takes special human effort.

So what do you do if you find very young kittens apparently abandoned? First of all, realize mother cat may be around. She may be moving the kittens, which she does one by one as she carries each by the scruff of its neck. She may be off hunting. Before you “rescue” unattended kittens, be sure to observe. Keep the kittens safe, but don’t interfere unless they are in jeopardy.

If you have reason to believe mother cat will not return because she was killed or repeatedly scared away from her young family, move the kittens to a safe, warm area. Be sure you have all of the kittens, going back to check to see if one has skittered away and hid. A kitten will not survive long on its own.

If they are not Siamese and their eyes are still blue, they are likely no more than 6 to 7 weeks of age. If they weigh less than a pound, they are probably under 4 weeks old. Kittens that young or small need special help to thrive. Even older kittens will develop better with extra TLC.

Your best option is to call a rescue group. Mat-Su Animal Control will take in young kittens, but if they are young enough to need feeding every few hours, that puts a strain on the staff. Very young, motherless kittens are also vulnerable to viruses that spread quickly in a large facility. There are several rescue groups that take in kittens, including ACAT. They will receive the proper food and care they need to develop.

If you are determined to keep the kittens, be prepared to deal with infants in your home. Very young kittens need warmth, handling and frequent meals of kitten formula or goat’s milk. Never give a kitten cow’s milk; it causes diarrhea. The kittens will also need high-quality, high-calorie and easily digestible canned and dry kitten foods. The kitten will likely need deworming and treatment for ear mites, and many over-the-counter products may not be used on such small kittens. You may need to visit a vet.

Diarrhea is one of the top killers of young kittens. A 1-pound kitten with diarrhea can dehydrate and die within about 24 hours. A listless kitten who won’t eat or play, and whose head is hanging down as it rests, could be in grave jeopardy and needs vet care.

Warmth is another key factor. A thin, motherless kitten has a hard time maintaining body heat. A heating pad or a hot water bottle is important.

Kittens take to litter boxes naturally, but young kittens must be confined so they don’t wander too far when it’s time to go. Once a kitten starts using an alternative to a litter box, it is hard to prevent such accidents, and at some point, litter boxes seem optional.

Like human babies, kittens need a lot of time and energy, and constant vigilance. Don’t let the independent nature of cats and the feisty attitude of even the smallest of felines fool you. These are vulnerable babies, despite their claws and needle-like teeth.

Most people who take the trouble of rescuing animals want the best for them. Please contact a rescue group or Mat-Su Borough Animal Control if you find abandoned kittens or other house pets.

Victoria Naegele is on the board of Alaska Cat Adoption Team (alaskacatadoptionteam.org), a 501c3 nonprofit, all-volunteer kitten and cat rescue based in the Valley. She can be reached at 982-2228 or Vicki@alaskacatadoptionteam.org. This column is a public service of the Frontiersman and ACAT.