As a volunteer with the local animal shelter and rescue groups, I have sadly come across orphaned kittens more than I care to think.

Kittens were kept at minutes of age and up. Depending on exactly how old they are, the first thing I do is start with an antibacterial bath. It’s good to take off whatever they have on them! This is especially important when removing them from the shelter. If they are newborns, I wait until they are a little older.

Always keep kitty warm and dry by licking like rubs. Have you ever seen a mother cat clean her babies from her? I try to intimidate the same process. Small strokes over and over again even around the face. I do this quite frequently throughout their growth stages. Not necessarily the bathroom but the cleaning process. And this can be replaced with a warm damp rag.

The most important thing is to feed them.

The formula is very simple and cheaper and healthier than buying pre-made mixes.

1 can of evaporated milk
2 small cans of meat porridge (stage 2)
1 natural yogurt
2 egg yolks
1 T Karol Syrup

Mix everything together and add enough water to make 1 quart. Keep refrigerated. Lucas hot for food.

Depending on the age of the kittens, it will be necessary to feed them every 2 hours. But as any mother will tell you, she can eventually get them to sleep through the night and feed them first thing in the morning and regularly throughout the day.

In fact, I use a surrogate mother cat who happens to be one of my own. She didn’t start out that way. She was my first pregnant foster mom from the shelter. She’s like 100 years old, rotten teeth, and not exactly what I’d call a feast for the eyes. Even though she doesn’t have milk, she attends to all other needs like bathing, and believe me, the first time she notices mom cleaning up baby pee, you might think again about using one too.

But if this isn’t an option for you, here are some other tips:

· They need their mom, and in this case it’s you – to be there.
· Take them with you, especially when they are very small, inside your shirt next to your skin, let them feel and smell you. Keep them warm.
Clean and sterilize your hands among other pets in the home. You don’t want sick babies! And remember to even have clean clothes when you are around them.
If you have a sick kitten, it is very important that you see your vet.
· I used a bottle for my kittens to experience sucking like mom. But in some cases a small syringe will do the trick.
· Use a damp paper towel to “lick” the rear ends and bellies of the kittens to encourage the potting process. Do this after every meal.
· At about 4 weeks, you can introduce kitten food and litter box. Use an unscented brand that doesn’t clump. Your kitty’s health depends on it. You don’t want them licking up anything that contains too many chemicals.

I loved the changes that occur until I see them learn to walk and soon explore my home.

If you want to have kittens, instead of allowing your cat to have kittens, adopt a pregnant mother from the shelter. Unfortunately, there is no shortage of them. And they are happy to move them to a safer and cleaner atmosphere. It’s not that our shelter isn’t clean by any means. But you have animals coming and going. And you don’t know anything about them or what they bring to the shelter.

Above all enjoy the process. They will be excited to see you. And before long she’ll be saying goodbye to her babies as they find their first real forever home.