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Information, Tips & Tricks for raising Healthy Kittens
By: Alfred
Congratulations on having a new Kitten in your home.
Here are some good information about Kittens and
milestones to look out for as your kittens grow
and develop.
* Birth - Should weigh two to four ounces.
* End of first week - Should have doubled its body weight.
* Eighth day - the kitten should open its eyes. They will be
blue for about two weeks. (Eye color isn't set till
three months of age.)
* Two weeks - ears will start standing up.
* Three weeks - kitten will start trying to walk.
* Four weeks - kittens will get teeth and start to
play with each other.
You should have your kittens vaccinated and have an ongoing
vaccination schedule. Make an
appointment with your
veterinarian to start your vaccinations.
At eight weeks of age the kitten can be spayed or neutered
and be ready for adoption.
Young kittens, especially orphaned kittens,
are very
vulnerable to sickness and disease. You should watch them
for abnormal behaviors such as loss of appetite, lethargy
and diarrhea and take them to the veterinarian immediately
if something out of the ordinary develops.
Colds and other viruses are a common ailment in
kittens and
they claim the lives of a lot of kittens every year. Some
viruses can cause permanent damage to organs, like
Chlamydia, which will damage a kitten's eyesight. If
bacteria infect an eye it can cause blindness. Be sure that
if there is any sign of eye infection such as excessive
seepage, red color or frequent tearing that you take your
kitten to the veterinarian as soon as possible.
Diarrhea is a very serious health risk to kittens and you
should watch for loose stool from kittens. It is caused by
disease, worms, changes in diet, and over feeding. The
result is dehydration and death.
Distemper is a serious danger to young cats, especially to
orphaned kittens that do not have the advantage of a mother
cat's immunities through mother's milk. It is an airborne
contagion that kills most of its victims.
The most risky periods for kittens are at birth, in their
first week or at weaning time. These times
are critical to
their survival and you should be extra diligent during these
periods. If you have all the proper information and care
guidelines, some common sense and a good veterinarian you
have a good chance of saving orphan kittens or raising your
own kittens and of being a kitten foster parent until they
are ready to adopt out or to keep for life.
