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Fostering

As the weather becomes cooler, kitten survival rates decline.  Many become sick from diseases that are treatable, such as upper respiratory infections (URls), while others may become separated from their mother, giving them little chance of survival.

 

Please consider becoming a foster parent to a litter of kittens! 

 

Fostering kittens and hand-raising newborn babies can be an enjoyable

and rewarding experience, and it also frees up valuable shelter space, so more cats can be assisted.

 

Reach out and let us know if you are interested -  call 501-623-3484 or email here!

Tips for Fostering Kittens

Bedding:

  • Young kittens should be kept in a box lined with absorbent paper towels or pee pads.

  • lt's very important to keep the kittens warm and dry; use a heating pad covered with a towel to keep the kittens between 80 and 90 degrees.

  • You can also include a stuffed animal with the kittens, as the toy may help them feel more comfortable.

Feeding: 

  • lf kittens are under five weeks of age and unable to eat solid food, they will need to be bottle-fed with kitten formula every two to four hours.

  • Kittens with difficulty suckling from a bottle can also be syringe-fed.

  • Massage the belly to stimulate digestion, and use a moistened cotton ball or soft tissue to encourage elimination after each feeding.

  • Use formula or kitten milk replacer whenever possible.

  • Homemade formula made with cow's or goat's milk should only be used in an emergency.

    • Blend eight ounces of milk with three egg yolks, one tbsp. corn oil, and a pinch of salt, and heat until warm to the touch, but not too hot. 

  • Begin weaning around four weeks old.

    • Mix canned kitten food with kitten formula and hand feed until the kittens are accustomed to eating on their own.

    • Then, gradually change over completely to canned kitten food. ​

Cleaning & Care: 

  • The mother usually cleans the babies during the first few weeks, so you will have to take on this task.

  • Once old enough, most kittens know instinctively to use a litter box; you can also encourage this behavior by placing each kitten in the center of a litter box and using her paw, gently showing her how to dig at the litter.

  • Kittens are susceptible to upper respiratory infections (URIs) and diseases, such as feline herpes virus and calicivirus.

    • Symptoms include sneezing, coughing, and nasal and eye discharge.

    • A mild case can be treated by providing a warm environment, cleaning the eye and nose areas, and using a vaporizer.

    • Antibiotics will not help treat URls, which are viral infections, but are sometimes used to combat secondary bacterial infections.

    • Conjunctivitis of the eyes requires constant cleaning with moist, warm cotton balls and application of Terramycin or Chlorasone a few times per day directly in the eyes.

    • lf left untreated, upper respiratory infections can cause severe health problems, including  neumonia, blindness, or even death.

    • lf a kitten needs to be medicated, use liquid medicine in moist food, or crush tablets into baby food (meat flavor only, no garlic ingredients). Whole tablets should not be administered to a feral kitten because it may cause trauma and can undo the taming process. lt also increases the risk of one being bitten.

  

MILLIONS of unwanted cats and kittens are                        put to death each year in pounds                        and shelters.

  420,000  kittens are what one cat and her

                   offspring can produce in 7 years.

           72  percent of cats entering pounds

                   and shelters are killed.

               1  person can STOP THE

                    MADNESS.

              cat at a time.

Please spay or neuter your cat.

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