How to Keep Orphaned Kittens Warm
Determine the kittens’ age., Dry the kittens if they’re wet., Check if the kittens are chilled., Hold a chilled kitten against your bare skin to warm it gradually., Avoid feeding a kitten until it’s warm.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Determine the kittens’ age.
Knowing how old the kittens are will give you a better idea of the type of care they’ll need and how long you’ll have to keep them in a nest.
Use these guidelines to determine the kittens’ age:
Kittens less than two weeks old will have closed eyes and folded down ears.
Kittens between two and three weeks old will have open eyes and wobble or crawl.
Kittens between three and four weeks will have open eyes, erect ears, and can walk.
Kittens older than four weeks can run and most likely won’t require nesting. -
Step 2: Dry the kittens if they’re wet.
If you’ve found a litter of wet orphaned kittens, thoroughly dry them with a towel as soon as possible.
If the kittens are wet, they’re at a greater risk of developing hypothermia.If the kittens are at least a week old, you can use a blow dryer on a low setting to dry them.
Make sure the air stream isn’t hot and avoid blowing the kitten’s face.
It’s not recommended to use a blow dryer on kittens less than one week old. , Touch the kittens’ ears, inside their mouths, and the pads of their feet.
If any of these feel cool to the touch, that kitten’s body temperature is too low.If you have a baby or small pet rectal thermometer, you can also take the kittens’ temperatures.
They should be between 101 and 102 degrees Fahrenheit (38.3 to
38.9 degrees Celsius)., If a kitten is chilled, you’ll need to warm it promptly but gradually.
Hold it against your bare skin and periodically rub it with your hands to raise its temperature slowly.If possible, have someone put a towel in the dryer on low heat for 10 minutes while you hold the kitten.
Once the towel is warm, wrap the kitten with it.
Avoid submerging the kitten in hot water or taking any other measures to warm it too quickly. , It’s essential to only feed a kitten once you’ve increased its body temperature.
Feeding a kitten with a temperature less than 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32.2 degrees Celsius) can be life-threatening.A kitten can’t digest food if it’s chilled.
If necessary, you can syringe feed it a few drops of 5% sugar water or rub a bit of Karo syrup on its lips. -
Step 3: Check if the kittens are chilled.
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Step 4: Hold a chilled kitten against your bare skin to warm it gradually.
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Step 5: Avoid feeding a kitten until it’s warm.
Detailed Guide
Knowing how old the kittens are will give you a better idea of the type of care they’ll need and how long you’ll have to keep them in a nest.
Use these guidelines to determine the kittens’ age:
Kittens less than two weeks old will have closed eyes and folded down ears.
Kittens between two and three weeks old will have open eyes and wobble or crawl.
Kittens between three and four weeks will have open eyes, erect ears, and can walk.
Kittens older than four weeks can run and most likely won’t require nesting.
If you’ve found a litter of wet orphaned kittens, thoroughly dry them with a towel as soon as possible.
If the kittens are wet, they’re at a greater risk of developing hypothermia.If the kittens are at least a week old, you can use a blow dryer on a low setting to dry them.
Make sure the air stream isn’t hot and avoid blowing the kitten’s face.
It’s not recommended to use a blow dryer on kittens less than one week old. , Touch the kittens’ ears, inside their mouths, and the pads of their feet.
If any of these feel cool to the touch, that kitten’s body temperature is too low.If you have a baby or small pet rectal thermometer, you can also take the kittens’ temperatures.
They should be between 101 and 102 degrees Fahrenheit (38.3 to
38.9 degrees Celsius)., If a kitten is chilled, you’ll need to warm it promptly but gradually.
Hold it against your bare skin and periodically rub it with your hands to raise its temperature slowly.If possible, have someone put a towel in the dryer on low heat for 10 minutes while you hold the kitten.
Once the towel is warm, wrap the kitten with it.
Avoid submerging the kitten in hot water or taking any other measures to warm it too quickly. , It’s essential to only feed a kitten once you’ve increased its body temperature.
Feeding a kitten with a temperature less than 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32.2 degrees Celsius) can be life-threatening.A kitten can’t digest food if it’s chilled.
If necessary, you can syringe feed it a few drops of 5% sugar water or rub a bit of Karo syrup on its lips.
About the Author
Katherine Hernandez
Committed to making organization accessible and understandable for everyone.
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