Fostering orphaned kittens. Can I leave them in the car?

If you must feed them yourself before weaning age, you must devote considerable energy and weeks of constant care if the kitten is to have a good chance at survival. The younger the kitten, the more fragile it is. Very young kittens may not survive without a mother no matter how good the care.

If possible, take the kitten to a veterinarian to be checked out for dehydration and general condition. Kittens can become dehydrated very quickly without a mom and may need fluids under the skin. Kittens that are dehydrated from lack of fluids or diarrhea will have very little energy or appetite, so this is important to take care of immediately. Stools should be checked for worms and parasites. The vet can supply a lot of advice on hand raising kittens as well as needed supplies so don't skip this step

When a kitten has had enough formula, bubbles will form around its mouth, and its tummy will be rounded. After each meal, burp the kitten by holding it upright against your shoulder and patting it lightly on the back

The kitten's natural mother takes care of both ends of her baby. By licking the kitten's abdomen, she stimulates the bowels and bladder and tidies up the resulting mess. A surrogate cat mom should gently rub the kitten's abdomen and bottom with a cotton ball or pad or tissues moistened with warm water. This stimulates the discharge of waste and keeps babies clean. Be careful to rub only enough to get them to expel waste materials. Keep the area clean and watch for chafing which might indicate that you are rubbing too hard or not cleaning well enough.

Orphaned kittens are especially vulnerable to diseases. At the first sign of any abnormal behavior or loss of appetite, take them to the veterinarian.

Colds, like upper respiratory infections, are caused by various viruses and claim many kittens each year. Some of these same viruses, or an organism known as Chlamydia, can also cause permanent damage to a kitten's eyes. If bacteria invade the infected eye the organisms can puncture the tough covering, resulting in blindness. Even a lesser infection can leave the eyeball badly scarred.

Diarrhea can result from disease, food changes, worms, or overfeeding. The resulting dehydration can be deadly.

Distemper is also a chronic danger to young cats, especially those who did not have the advantage of the mother cat's antibodies. It is airborne, very contagious, and often a killer

Wow. 10 kits is a lot! 7 is a lot! At this element, i think of the appropriate is to place the three in with the blend yet help your mama cat out by using giving all of them some bottle feedings. you're saying the three are feeding nicely from the bottle. If any of the others have a problematic time, try using a dropper. i detect those artwork nicely. looking after all those kits would be a hard artwork of love!

Not only is that not a good idea, it might be illegal. In Arizona is is illegal no matter what time of the year, even if it is in the fall or spring and not even hot. Can you find a friend to babysit? It is noble of you to try to help. However if it means the difference between the kittens dying of malnutrition or keeping them in your car as long as they are kept warm and there is nothing in the vehicle that the kittens can harm themselves on then I would call your local animal patrol and ask them what your local laws are....and do what you feel is best.

NO, no, no , no no. They will not foster them to a home that cannot give them the care they require, and school is way to important to be constantly interupted. You will miss hours of class time. The shelter that has the kittens will choose someone more suited to the constant attention and care that the babies need. If you want to foster animals, pick an older one.

Not really a good idea at all. Kittens are very sensitive to heat or cold at that age. I think you should pass up fostering until summer when you are out of school and can give them all they need. Please wait and I can not imagine any one allowing you to foster fight now... Good Luck and your heart is in the right place.. Maybe volunteer at the shelter and go down on Saturdays and hold, pat and play with kitties there... :)

Take the kitten to a veterinarian to make sure no medical intervention is needed. Whether the baby kitten was abandoned, or the mother died, it is imperative that you get the kitten to a doctor so that it can be examined for problems such as dehydration. If the veterinarian approves, take the kitten home.

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Set up a bed for the kitten using a cardboard box, old towels and a heating pad. Wrap the heating pad in a towel or two and place it in the bottom of a cardboard box. Bunch up another towel or rag, and place it in a corner for a bed. You may also want to consider putting a stuffed animal in the box for the kitten to cuddle with, as they are used to being close to other kittens or their mother. Place the heating pad on low, as newborn kittens are not able to regulate their temperature until around 8 weeks of age.

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Feed the baby kitten using a small bottle designed to feed orphaned kittens, and some kitten formula or replacement milk. These can be found at any pet store and also at stores like Wal-Mart. Sterilize the bottle, and then fill it with the replacement milk. The instructions on the back of the can will tell you how much to feed a kitten of a certain age, and no mixing or adding of water is needed. If the kitten refuses to drink out of the bottle, you can use an eye dropper to slowly drip the milk into the kitten's mouth.

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Stimulate the kitten so that it urinates and defecates. To do this, you will need to wet a washcloth or soft towels with warm water, and slowly stroke it over the genital and anal areas of the kitten. After a few strokes the kitten should have defecated. It may take a few feedings to notice any urination. You are stimulating the kitten to substitute the mother kitten's act of licking these areas with her rough tongue. If you do not perform this act after each meal, the kitten will not be able to excrete. You can stop this process once you notice the kitten using the restroom by itself.

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Show the kitten plenty of love and affection. Kittens normally interact several times a say with their mother and siblings, and you will have to take the place of them. Let the kitten sleep on your lap, or gently pet it. Be careful not to over stimulate the kitten though, and let him sleep in the heated cardboard box as often as he needs.

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Wash the kitten with a damp warm washcloth. Gently stroke the kitten over its back and neck with the washcloth. This will teach the kitten the art of licking and cleaning itself. This is another job that is normally done by the mother cat, which now must be done by you to teach the kitten the essential skills.

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Give the kitten a bath in dawn dish soap or other mild soap if needed. Sometimes the kitten will become dirty, and a bath will be necessary. Do not over wash however, and do not use harsh flea soaps at this early stage in life.

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Start introducing solid foods to the kitten at 6 weeks of age. Begin by soaking some dry kitten food in the replacement milk or formula until it softens. Place the softened food into a shallow bowl, and offer it to the kitten. You may need to do this several times before the kitten gets the hang of eating on its own. You can then gradually feed just dry food once the kitten is old enough to chew the food. You can also start introducing plain water in a shallow dish at this time.

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Start to litter train the kitten at 8 weeks of age. Place the kitten into the litter box filled with litter after every meal, and whenever you notice it trying to eliminate in its box or around the home. Litter training should be a fairly quick process, as it is a natural instinct for most cats.

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Take your kitten into the veterinarian at the age of 8 weeks so that it can receive another check up and its first shots. Follow any additional instructions given by the doctor. At this point your kitten should be thriving on its own, and your work as a mother cat should be just about over

If you have no other choice, then you have to. The mother cat leaves them when she goes out to hunt and they survive. Just make sure that they are warm enough,as a chilled kitten can go downhill fast and cannot digest it's formula.. You might even ask if it would be OK to bring them inside if they are in a cat carrier (which they should be). If there is someone else who can foster them, though, it would be better. Remember you also have to stimulate them to go to the bathroom.

That's nice of you to try to help them, but that doesn't sound like a good idea. If they are so young they need to be bottle fed, they are still very vulnerable health-wise and their safety will be compromised.

If you're going to do that, they're better off at the cat rescue place or with someone who can take care of them properly.

NO! you cant leave cats- or any animals for that matter in a car!!-

If you dont have the time to nurse them get a older cat...

Good Luck!