I just rescue a baby-cat, what should i do?

If you are reading this article, chances are you have recently rescued a cat; for that I congratulate and thank you. If you haven't rescued yet, maybe you are planning or interested in rescuing a cat, believe me you won't regret it...

OK, let's start, first, let's look at the cat's health condition? and how old is the cat? whether the cat is very small, still unable to walk; or is already a little big, and can walk; or even an adult cat?

Very small cat / baby cat

(source : https://www.spca.com/en/orphaned-kittens-what-to-do/)

First, make sure the baby-cat/ kitten need your help. Don’t assume, It’s common for the mother to leave her babies, so give the kittens a bit of distance and see if the mom returns. If she does – great! The mom is the best suited to care for them, so leave them with her (unless you’re able to take the whole family in and care for them.) If the mom does not return within an hour or two, it is time for you to step in and help.

Provide a save and comfort place, If the mother does not return, bring the kitten home and set her up in a closed room — especially if you have other animals at home. Place a blanket at the bottom of a box and place the kitten in it, taking care to add a heat source.

Providing heat source is crucial, because kitten cannot regulate their body temperature. Heat source can be heating cushion, or heating bag; A switched on bulb is a commonly used heat source.  If she seems famished but you feel she has not raised her temperature sufficiently, you can apply a drop of corn syrup to her gums. Her glucose levels will go up, which will provide her with enough energy to sustain her until she can be fed.

Feed her… the right way! Before feeding a kitten, try and estimate her age, because there are two possible scenarios to consider when planning to feed a kitten.

 

Scenario A: the kitten is between 0 and 21 days old

Less than 7 days: The kitten’s eyes are closed, her ears are folded, the umbilical cord is still attached;

Between 7 and 14 days: The kitten’s eyes are open, her ears are beginning to unfold, the umbilical cord is absent;

Between 14 and 21 days: The kitten’s ears are fully unfolded, her front teeth are visible, she awkwardly tries to walk.

From 0 to 21 days old, the kitten must be fed kitten formula, every three to four hours, with a feeding bottle. You can find the formula and everything else you need to feed a kitten at a pet supply store, the Montreal SPCA’s Boutique or veterinarian.

If you’re unable to purchase these items immediately, you can, as a temporary measure and for a few hours only, feed the kitten using a syringe with no needle (which can be bought at any pharmacy). Use the following recipe: 1 raw egg yolk, mixed together with a small can of unsweetened dehydrated milk.

Warning!

– Never give cow’s milk to a kitten! This could cause diarrhea and lead to more serious health problems.

– A kitten should always be fed on her stomach, not her back. If fed on her back, milk could find its way into her lungs and she could develop pneumonia.

Scenario B: the kitten is 21 days old or more

Between 21 and 28 days old: The kitten explores her surroundings with a higher degree of confidence, her canine teeth are visible, she can retract her claws.

From four weeks old and onward, you can feed the kitten canned cat food, mixed with a little bit of water, four times a day. If she refuses to eat, you’ll need to revert back to the feeding bottle (see scenario A).

Stimulate her so she “goes to the bathroom” It is the mother cat who stimulates her young to defecate and urinate, during the first three weeks of their lives. In her absence, you’ll need to take care of it! Using a soft and humid tissue, gently rub her abdomen and her anal region, in circles.

Clean her; Generally speaking, we don’t recommend you clean a kitten, because if she isn’t dried appropriately afterwards, she could easily develop hypothermia. However, if the kitten is really quite dirty, you can gently clean her using unscented baby wipes.

This sequence of steps (1 to 6) should be repeated every three to four hours, until you can bring the kitten to a veterinarian. If you find a kitten but are unable to care for her, find someone you trust and who has experience caring for kittens and entrust the kitten to them. Then promptly call a veterinarian or local animal shelter.

Grown-up kitten / Adult Cat

If you found cat, and they look unhealthy or have problem such as wound/ bleeding; the best thing to do is to bring them to vet immediately.