rearing kittens

Question
hey, am really worried my kitten, she is 2 days old and i dont know how to look after her, how to keep her warm, what and how much to feed her please HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer
Teri,

I am curious, what has happened to this kitten's mom? I would suggest that if it is at all possible to reunite kitten with mom that it would be the best for the kitten. If mom has rejected her kitten or is not able to care for her then hand raising is an option. The big concerns with such a young kitten are getting nutrition into them, keeping them warm, and making sure that they are not exposed to any germs or viruses. In order to get nutrition into a young kitten you will need a milk replacer formulated especially for kittens. I use KMR which is available at pet stores and is relatively easy to use and of reasonable quality. Some kittens will take the bottles that you can buy at pet stores, many won't. In the case of a kitten who refuses to take a bottle you can use an oral syringe (the kind used for giving human babies oral medicines that are available at pharmacies). You will need to mix the formula as per the instructions on the can or you can buy the premixed formula that is ready to be given to the kitten. One big tip about feeding a young kitten is that you want to make sure and feed them slowly enough that they don't choke, but you also want to make sure that they have their four paws facing the floor. If you feed a kitten like a human infant they stand a good chance of inhaling the formula and drowning. You will want to pick up a scale that measures in grams up to 2 pounds so that you can chart this kitten's growth as that is going to be the best indicator of how they are doing nutritionally. I suggest that you feed the kitten on demand rather than trying to schedule feedings, kittens will want to eat approximately every hour and a half to two hours. The best way to keep your kitten warm is to fold a heavy bath towel into a thick square. You will want to set a heating pad on low and place it under the towel making sure that the heating pad doesn't take up the whole towel so that the kitten doesn't get overheated. You will want to make sure that nobody touches the kitten without first washing their hands as kittens are born with immature immune systems and can get sick very easily. I am sure that you will have questions over the next few weeks. You will want to have the kitten vet checked to be sure that she is growing properly. If you would like any further guidance in how to raise your kitten feel free to contact me with any further questions or concerns.