how to save a newborn kitten from dying

Use discretion and remember that there are diseases that are transmitted between cats and humans. YouTube. Once the bleeding has stopped, tape the gauze over the wound and get your kitten to the vet as soon as possible. This article has been viewed 76,799 times. Once the bleeding is controlled, tape the gauze or cloth down and get the kitten to a vet. You will need to mimic this behavior by stimulating the kittens with a warm, wet cloth at each feeding. Clear the kitten’s airway of any obstructions. A heating pad on low, a warm water bottle, or even a sock filled with rice and put in the microwave can all provide a steady but mild heat source to a cold kitten. If your kitten is bleeding, clean the edges of the wound with water or antiseptic solution, then use gauze to apply firm pressure for 5-10 minutes. How do I save these new born kittens from dying? She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. LinkedIn We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Orphaned neonatal kittens require around-the-clock care, so you’ll want to establish a routine of care every 2-4 hours (the younger they are, the more frequent the intervals.) It's difficult for you to make that call, so provide it food. Just as you need to keep the air holes free and clear, if you wrap the kitten up, ensure that you’ve left the kitten’s head and airways unobstructed. This article has been viewed 76,799 times. Fostering kittens is fun, rewarding, and lightning-fast if you do it right! Hannah Shaw is an animal protection professional and nonprofit director with a special focus in the welfare of cats and kittens. Some causes of fading kittens are congenital defects, traumatic birth, environmental toxins, blood type incompatibility between mother and kitten, prematurity or low birth weight, parasitic, bacterial, or viral infections, environmental temperature too hot or too cold, and even dehydration. A vet will be able to make sure the kitten is able to be taken care of at home and instruct you on how to care for it. Don’t assume that a litter of kittens is orphaned just because you don’t see the mom. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years. Some animals are territorial. These sound like serious issues. My kitten has pus oozing out from his eyes. If that does not work then try your parents. You can also wrap the kitten up in a towel or old shirt to give it extra warmth. Therefore, if you are a cat owner, especially of a newborn kitten, it is essential to know about this syndrome. Neonatal (newborn) kittens may die suddenly, or ‘fade’ within a few days. Then, put air holes in the sides of the box, close the box so your kitten can’t crawl out, and take it to the nearest vet to improve its chances of survival. I washed it up with clean water, but later it is unable to move. What do I do? Don’t perform CPR for more than five minutes, as survival is unlikely at that point. Instead, you will need to purchase kitten milk replacer, sold at most pet stores or feed stores. I brought a kitten home that was starving and suffering from hypothermia. If it is having difficulty walking, just let it lie down. My cat got pregnant, and she is a terrible mother, she has had kittens before and all 3 died. Take the animal to a veterinarian so that they can administer medicine that won’t be fatal to your kitten. Published over 4 years ago by Hannah Shaw. Before you can do anything else, you want to make sure the kitten is not hypothermic or hyperthermic. Administer a breath every 20 seconds. There are few things in life more impossible to resist than a kitten in distress. If their mouth, throat, and lungs are full of fluid, hold the kitten with their head facing toward the ground so that gravity will help you clear their airway. Plan on caring for them until they are old enough to be neutered – right around eight weeks old. Its mouth and gums will be a bluish shade rather than a healthy pink. Check for a heartbeat every minute. It’ll be over before you know it! If she does – great! She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years. Cats are excellent at hiding their discomfort, but with a keen eye, you can try to spot a kitten in distress. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. This article was co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. Get a custom drawing of your pet, in wikiHow style! For more tips from our Veterinary co-author, like how to perform CPR on your kitten, read on. Watch my video on How to Stimulate Kittens to see how it’s done. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. Take the cat to the vet as soon as possible for further advice, or to the ASPCA if you don't want to keep it. One seems okay but the other looks like he's about to pass. So while you are protecting this helpless kitten from the weather, make sure you protect it from your pets as well. You can do it, but you’ll want to know some tricks so you don’t hurt them. Go to the store and get kitten replacement formula right away and try to feed this to the kitten with a medicine dropper or eye dropper. I have given it some milk, but it's not drinking. Say you have rescued this kitten from the streets, the next steps you take are critical to saving the kitten’s life. Seeing these small, furry creatures all alone, scared and possibly dying plucks the strings in anyone's heart. Feel the kitten’s chest for a heartbeat. Panic never helped anyone, but you do need to treat this as a situation that cannot wait. It sounds like your kitten is seriously ill and needs to be taken to the vet's right away. Most kittens receive protection against many infectious diseases during the early weeks of life from the queen (maternal-derived immunity). How to Save a Dying Kitten: 12 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow Say you have rescued this kitten from the streets, the next steps you take are critical to saving the kitten's life. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Bring the box inside and keep it away from other animals such as grown cats or dogs. Watch my YouTube video on How to Bottle Feed a Kitten for tips on proper preparation and feeding posture. Instagram © 2013-2020 meowbox Inc. All rights reserved. Twitter 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.) Take him directly to the vet/emergency clinic. To save a dying kitten, make sure to keep it warm by placing it in a box with bedding to mimic the warmth its mother would give. Please follow me and my kitten adventures on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube to keep up with the latest in my rescue and advocacy efforts. It’s common for the mother to leave her babies, so give the kittens a bit of distance and see if the mom returns. What does this mean? Stimulate the kittens to go to the bathroom. If you have a kitten or find a kitten that you think might be dying, recognizing that they are in need of assistance, quickly helping them, and getting them appropriate care is the best plan for helping to save them. Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. A box with some bedding will keep it safe and warm until you begin your next step in the rescue process. Kittens cannot control their body temperature, so help them regulate their body temperature before trying to feed them – especially if they have been exposed to cold temperatures. The pus also has a very strong smell. Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. Kitten season is around the corner, and if you’re anything like me, you might soon find yourself crossing paths with a little mewing orphan or two (or six!) Try getting your teacher to call animal control. He wont eat or do anything at all except lie in a corner. Or, simply type in veterinarian and your zip code in the search bar. He won't eat dry food at all and he's 14 weeks old. Provide the kitten with a shallow dish of water and some food. Use a search engine and type “emergency veterinarian near me.”. If your kitten is not breathing but has a heartbeat, only offer rescue breaths and skip chest compressions. 4 hours later, thanks to the article, "This gave me a lot of info as I have never had a litter of stray kittens let alone a sick one! © 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Lifestyle, Learn about providing first aid to feral kittens, Read what other consumers say about helping dying kittens. Cats cannot digest dairy very well. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. Put air holes in the sides of the box so that the kitten has abundant fresh air. Facebook Check to make sure the box you have for the kitten can be taken to the vet and closed. If you think he needs help quickly, try asking if the veterinary appointment can be earlier than a week. Did that article entertain you? Newborn kittens aren’t able to regulate their own temperatures and rely on their mother to do it for them. What can I do? If no heartbeat is located, take the cat’s chest between your forefinger and thumb and administer chest compressions by squeezing the chest behind the kitten’s bent elbow. When it comes to orphaned kittens, time is of the essence. My cat is 3 weeks old and now it doesn't want to move. Kittens, with their fluffy heads, big eyes, and little voices, are completely irresistible, and you naturally want to help them. Twitter She currently resides in Washington, D.C., where she is a program consultant for animal welfare nonprofits, and lives with two wonderful cats and a revolving door of orphaned “bottle baby” kittens. Apply pressure for 5-10 minutes, and don’t lift the gauze or cloth to check the wound. Or call your local Humane Society and ask for a referral. I’m Hannah Shaw, founder of a rescue and advocacy project called Kitten Lady – and I’m here to give you my top 10 tips for what to do if you find kittens outside! Inspect the kitten for any open wounds or other signs that it is injured. "This morning one of our kittens wasn't moving or showing any signs of life. Take him to a vet immediately! I found a kitten without its mother, it is maybe 10 days old. Clean the wound, place gauze on it and tape it up. Once the edges of the wound are clean, use clean gauze or cloth to apply firm, direct pressure. Therefore, abandoned kittens or kittens that do wander away from mom, rapidly develop hypothermia. You only need to give little puffs because the kitten’s lungs are too small to take in much air. Secure the top of the box so that the kitten cannot crawl out. My 6-month-old kitten fought an adult male and we found him lying unconscious. Try giving him wet food, and make sure he is hydrated. Put your mouth around the kitten’s nose and mouth and give three small puffs of air. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/3\/30\/Save-a-Dying-Kitten-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Save-a-Dying-Kitten-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/30\/Save-a-Dying-Kitten-Step-1.jpg\/aid4691356-v4-728px-Save-a-Dying-Kitten-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"