Here is a quick list of things you will need to do if you find a kitten. A kitten that can be socialized is typically from the age ranges of 5 weeks to 12 weeks. 3 weeks and under is considered a neonate, and there is another blog post to help support their growth in a previous blog post.
This post starts off with the assumption that you have already caught the kitten. You will need to assess the kitten but there are a few standard procedures we have in rescue when bringing a new baby into the home.
1.Assess their health. This can be done by checking their eyes and their gums. If their gums are pale this is a danger sign the kitten needs help. Many reasons why their gums may be pale. Lack of nutrition, flea infestation, parasite infestation or all of the above or other. I do not advise giving a bath to a kitten that has pale gums as their body temperature can drop very quickly. In this case if you have no rescue experience please immediately seek out a vet in your area to help you. Time is ticking and they will need your help. Immediately offer food and water. If they will not eat offer Gerber chicken baby food ( the old recipe not new). Take their temperature with a rectal thermometer. Use a lubricant on the end. Have someone help you hold the kitten in order to do this safely. If the kitten is under 99 degrees and or not eating transfer them to the vet in a box with a gentle heat source and blankets. Please make sure the kitten is not in cold AC or a drafty place without them being shielded.
2.After you have offered the kitten food ( kitten food, not cows milk, NEVER cows milk) If the gums are pink the kitten will need a bath. Dawn dish soap is used in this case as most flea shampoos for cats and dogs are too strong and can be deadly for a kitten. Older kittens may be able to tolerate the animal shampoo but I would rather be safe than sorry. Create a soap ring around their neck to begin so once the water hits their body all the fleas do not get up into the head. The kitten lady has a great video and it will be tagged at the bottom for viewing. Please do not submerse the head with soap or under water. Again, review the Kitten Lady's video, but basically after you wash and rinse ( ring of soap around neck first) you will clean the head with a wash cloth and pick the fleas off, and put them in a glass of water to drown. Make sure you flea comb after wash to get eggs and blow dry on low heat. For infestations flea meds can be used but it needs to be with the utmost of care. If you overdose your kitten the side effects can be paralysis or even death. Please do not guess this and have an experienced rescuer or veteranarian help you in choosing the correct type and dose of flea medication. PLEASE do not try to guess this on your own as the side effects can be death.
3.Now you need to think of worms. If the kitten has been outside it is very possible they have worms. A good initial dewormer to give if you can't get right to the vet is pyrantel. You will need to weigh your kitten and give the proper dosage. Pyrantel is gentle enough for small kitten but may not be effective for all types of parasites. If you do not have experience in deworming contact a local vet or rescue for assistance.First, you will need to weigh them. A food scale with a bowl on top works great! Again, please look for local assistance if this all seems too daunting. This article is to let you know what the kitten's immediate needs are so they can get the right help as soon as possible. We are not a substitute for veterinary help.
4.After food ( if they eat), checking gums and eyes for illness, getting rid of fleas in a safe manner, organizing a deworming schedule for them, then you want to pull up on their scruff to see if they are dehydrated. This part can also be moved up to the top and done immediately when trying to first feed. If their scruff does not immediately come down after pulling and stays up they are dehydrated. If they are dehydrated and will not eat or drink immediate action needs to be taken. If you are not experienced in sub q fluids its a good idea to take them to the vet as well. Do not wait to see if the kitten will eat later. The likely hood of them not eating now and then eating later is not likely. They are dehydrated and sick and the clock is ticking. You can also order pet electrolytes online. If you live in an area where you find kittens often it is a good thing to have on hand. *picture at bottom* A lot of rescuers use pedialyte but it must be flavorless and not have the added zinc that is in the new formula. Please do not use any products that say they have zinc in them. Zinc is poison for kittens and should not ever be used.
5.Alright! Now your kitten is eating ( kitten wet food not cow's milk) has been checked for illness ( pale gums, runny eyes, lethargy, severely dehydrated or not eating take to vet immediately or get rescue help immediately) You have safely bathed and dried you need to keep your new kitty friend quarantined away from other animals. This is the final step for your intake. Even though they may appear healthy and may not outwardly be showing signs of illness they need a minimum of a 2 week quarantine away from other cats or kittens. Your kitten most definitely needs to be snap tested for felv and given a negative result before any integration can happen. It is also wise to not mix unvaccinated kittens together that are not from the same litter.
These are some quick steps to take to ensure your new kitty friend thrives in your care. Here is the link and photo of the pet electrolytes, and most importantly thank you for helping save a life.
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