found 6 kittens, Don't know what I'm doing..HELP!!!!  

Group: alt.pets.cats Date: Sun, Jul 31, 2005, 10:39am From:
kirkcat7770@aol.com (cat77)
We found 6 little kittens yesterday that can't be more than 5 days old
and i don't know how to care for them please help. I have been feeding
them evaporated milk and keeping them on a low set heating pad, what do
i do. they all very noisy, am i feeding them enough. how much is too
much? please help cat
kirkcat77@aol.com

OMG Where did you find them. What about the mother? Have you seen her?
You're going to need special kind of kitten formular. I don' know if
evaporated milk is a good thng to give to a 5 week old kitten but I
could be wrong. Do you give it to them diluted or straight? Also you
have to gently rub their private area with a warm wet cloth so they can
go to the bathroom & they have to be fed every couple of hours & I know
that's going to take a toll on you. There's a good chance those pooor
babies won't make it. If this happens please don't blame yourself. Blame
who ever owned the mother cat for letting her lose and letting her get
pregnant. You have your hands full and your going to get attached. Can't
help it. That's when the tears start coming in. Just remember if some or
all of them don't make it. Don't think you could of done something
different to change things. I wish you luck

Can you not find the female? Is the situation such that you could
leave the kittens where you found them...perhaps in a live trap
cage..and at the same time watch over the kittens...and perhaps trap
the Mama cat??  (or just pick her up,if she'll let you) I think their
chances of survival at that age is slim without a female. Anybody in
your neighborhood have a female who just had kittens? If yes,she most
likely would accept these kittens too.

The milk you are using is not good for kittens...there is no
nurishment. Pet shops and Supermarkets usually have Mothers Milk
substitutes for kittens.

If there is ANYTHING you can do to reunite these kittens with their
Mother or a substitute female you must try.

Humane societies frequently have Mama's with kittens..try there if
necessary and all else fails.

Ray
Webelder
PS.if feeding with an eyedropper..do not force the milk into the
kittens...let the kittens suck for themselves.

KMR is one good Mothers Milk Substitute....

Most Pet stores and larger Supermarket's usually carry it. If you have
a "Petsmart" in your area..they carry it. If you plan to feed these
kittens for some length of time...buy the powder and mix it
yourself...it's a lot cheaper then the liquid cans. It also last
longer when opened. The liquid cans must be used within 24 hours or
so.

And be sure to never feed kitten's COLD milk or whatever..always warm
it to a luke warm temp,and never "force" the milk into the kittens.
Remember,their little tummies are very tiny.

Hope I have helped somewhat..I certainlly wish to thank you for your
effort on these kittens behalf.

Ray
WebElder

I would suggest feeding supplemented milk products like ensure instead and a
trip to your vet to have the kittens checked out.