Day 1
DAY 1, 6 PM: New nine day olds came into foster today. We are going to follow them the next few days and let them teach us a few lessons. These little ones arrived in a very typical manner. Employees...
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Day 2, 6 AM: Quiet night, everyone ate well at 2-3 hour intervals, eating about 15 cc’s each. Bedding change needed this morning as one had pooped between being pottied at 3:30 AM and first check...
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Day 3, 6 AM: Another good day! All have gained over an ounce and have that wonderful body “feel”…difficult to explain, but anyone who has ever bottle fed will understand…they just feel very solid and...
View ArticleDay 4
Day 4, 9:00 AM: All eating well, gaining weight, good urine and stool (YAY!!). LESSON: Weigh kittens daily. Any of you who may have attended one of our classes or workshops know how absolutely adamant...
View ArticleToday’s lesson is from Stitch and Peyton
Today’s lesson is from Stitch and Peyton. The girls are going on 4 weeks old now and today was our first litterbox success. Begin offering a litterbox with non-clumping litter (I use white clay) around...
View ArticleFinnegan came into foster as a 7-day old
Finnegan came into foster as a 5-day old single orphan in reasonably good physical condition with excellent weight. He passed his intake exam with no problems and received his PenG injection. He was on...
View ArticleUnderstanding, Recognizing and Treating Flat Chested Kitten Syndrome
Flat chested kitten syndrome (FCKS) is a poorly understood, often serious condition that may develop in a matter of hours in a kitten less than ten days old. In kittens with FCKS, the muscles used in...
View ArticleFeline Panleukopenia Virus (aka Distemper) in Kittens: Immediate Care May...
Sadly, kittens are at highest risk for feline panleukopenia virus (FPV). Even kittens who are vaccinated, if they are under four months old, are at risk due to interference from maternal antibodies. 50...
View ArticleThe Purrks of Choosing a Cat Friendly Practice® for Veterinary Care
Congratulations! You’ve brought a new kitten or kittens into your home. You may think that your indoor pet is free from the risk of disease or injury, but anything can happen. In addition, felines are...
View ArticleChoosing a Professional Pet Sitter for Your Kitten
Whether you’re going away for the weekend or longer, you’ll enjoy your time more if you know that your kitten/s are being cared for properly. The stress to kittens of being in an unfamiliar...
View ArticleCongenital Heart Defects in Kittens
Congenital heart defects are heart defects that are present at the time of birth. These defects can be caused by one or a combination of the following: an abnormality in the cat’s genes; environmental...
View ArticleUnderstanding and Treating Feline Hemotropic Mycoplasma
What Causes Feline Hemotropic Mycoplasma? Feline Hemotropic Mycoplasma (FHM), previously known as Haemobartonellosis and Feline Infectious Anemia (FIA), is a disease caused by the parasitic bacterium...
View ArticleCommon Eye Problems in Kittens
Eye problems in kittens can be acquired through infection or injury in the first weeks and months of life or be congenital and caused by being born with an abnormality. To properly function, eyes must...
View Article“Nursing” Gone Wrong: Cross-Sucking in Orphaned Kittens
If you’ve encountered cross-sucking in kittens you’ve fostered, you know it can be difficult to resolve and painful to experience for both you and the kittens. During their first few weeks of life,...
View ArticleUnderstanding the Causes and Treatment for Constipation in Kittens
Constipation is defined as the infrequent, incomplete or difficult defecation with passage of small, hard or dry feces. It is important to address constipation immediately in order to avoid...
View ArticleKitten Vision: More Than Meets the Eye
The Anatomy of Feline Eyes To better understand the development and function of kittens’ eyes, it helps to be familiar with the eye’s anatomy. The orbit is the bony cavity within the skull in which the...
View ArticlePreemies: Helping Kittens Born Early
Kittens are born blind, deaf, unable to regulate their body temperature and dependent on their mother. Orphaned neonates require intensive caregiver attention, which increases immensely if they are...
View ArticleHydrocephalus in Kittens
What is Hydrocephalus? Hydrocephalus, commonly referred to as “water on the brain,” is a rare feline neurologic disorder. It involves the abnormal accumulation of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) in the...
View ArticleTube Feeding for Kittens
What Is Tube Feeding for Kittens? Tube feeding is a method of delivering nutrition to kittens who cannot or will not eat on their own. Tube feeding involves passing a flexible tube into the mouth, down...
View ArticleProviding a Consistent Diet to Kittens and Cats
The Importance of Providing a Consistent Diet to Kittens and Cats While feeding a consistent diet is important for all cats, it is especially important to feed kittens a consistent diet due to their...
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