Vets recommend not touching kittens unless you have to while their eyes are still closed. You can check on them to make sure they're healthy and gaining weight, but try to limit direct physical contact. The kitten's mother will also let you know how comfortable she is with you handling her babies.
It is a common misconception that a mother cat will not care for her kittens if they are touched, but don't worry she doesn't mind. However, don't be surprised if they're moved the next time you check on them! If you find neonatal kittens the best thing to do is leave them alone! Mom will most likely come back.
You should avoid touching newborn kittens until they are around 2 weeks old. Of course, your ability to do so depends on the mother's character and whether she's caring properly for her kittens. If necessary, you can briefly hold the kittens once a day to confirm they are gaining weight.
As long as the kittens are nursing frequently and appear to be thriving, they will be OK. Keep the mother cat and her babies in a quiet part of the house; a separate room is ideal. Make sure the room is warm enough as kittens are unable to regulate their body temperature when they are only a few days old.
Once she decides on a birthing place, you should not move her, as this may cause her to become distressed.
Kittens & Young Cats
Kittens under 4 months old should not be left on their own for more than 4 hours at a time. If because of your lifestyle, your cat will need to get used to time alone, begin training your kitten by gradually increasing the amount of time you are out of the house.
Kitten-Proof Your Home
Kittens between two and four months of age should only be left alone four to six hours at a time, not a full workday. When they're a little older, around six months, you can be gone all day. But they'll certainly be happier if you can check in on them at lunchtime or ask a friend to stop by.
The average litter size for cats is 4 to 6 kittens; however, adolescents, seniors, and first-timers typically have smaller-than-average litters. First-time moms usually only have 2 or 3 kittens. Purebred cats tend to have more kittens per litter than mixed breeds, though experts aren't sure why.
The veterinary literature reports intimidating mortality rates for orphaned kittens up to 12 weeks of age, ranging from 15% to 40%.
By three to four weeks, kittens can begin eating moistened dry kibble or wet food. Between six and eight weeks, kittens are fully weaned from their mother's milk and can eat dry or wet kitten food.
The mother cat usually remains continuously with newborn kittens for one or two days after giving birth. She may then leave the 'nest' for short periods.
If you find an abandoned litter or your kittens are unable to nurse from their mother for any reason, they'll only survive around 12 hours without food. Older babies may live as many as four days without nursing, but time is of the essence.
Single kitten syndrome is the idea that young kittens, when raised with other young kittens and cats and then adopted into a home by themselves, can become aggressive, anxious, stressed, and even develop behavioral issues like inappropriate chewing/scratching and inappropriately using the litterbox.
Vets recommend not touching kittens unless you have to while their eyes are still closed. You can check on them to make sure they're healthy and gaining weight, but try to limit direct physical contact. The kitten's mother will also let you know how comfortable she is with you handling her babies.
Kittens should urinate after each feeding and have a bowel movement one to four times a day. 4. When they are between 3 and 4 weeks of age, kittens can be introduced to the litter box.
If a mother cat is threatened by other cats, people, excessive noise or other stressful situations she may abandon her kittens or develop aggressive tendencies towards them. First-time mothers may also be more prone to behavior problems.
A special type of inertia is “hysterical inertia” where the mother cat panics so much due to the pain she may feel that the first stage grinds to a halt. The cat will be very distressed, crying and seeking attention from the owner. This problem needs addressing immediately!
Nursing mother cats need to eat a high quality kitten formula food. If she is a picky eater, do not hesitate to try feeding her canned tuna, chicken or salmon.
In cats the average length of full parturition (delivery) is 16 hours, with a range of 4–42 hours (up to three days in some cases may be normal). It is important to consider this variability before intervening. The third stage is delivery of the fetal membranes.
She's panting.
Once it's over, she'll be noticeably calm, so if she continues to pant after the first couple of kittens are born, there are likely more on the way.
Kittens are becoming more aware of their surroundings, but they will huddle together for warmth and comfort and rarely venture far from their mother, their nest, or each other. They still sleep most of the time.
For a kitten, you may want to start with a small litter box. Make sure that the kitten can climb over the side of it without jumping. Your kitten can graduate to a larger litter box when it's a bit bigger.