Breeding Cats and Raising Kittens
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What should I expect during the
kittens' first few weeks of life?
For the first month of life kittens require very little care
from the owner because their mother will feed and care for
them. They are born with their eyes closed, but they will
open in 7 to 14 days. If swelling or bulging is noted under
the eyelids, they should be opened gently. A cotton ball
dampened with warm water may be used to assist opening the
lids. If the swelling is due to infection, pus will exit the
open eyelids and should be treated as prescribed by a
veterinarian. If the eyes have not opened within 14 days of
age, they should be opened by a veterinarian.
Kittens should be observed for their rate of growth. They
should double their birth weight in about one week.
By two weeks of age, kittens should be alert and trying to
stand. At three weeks, they generally try to climb out of
their box. At four weeks, all of the kittens should be able
to walk, run, and play.
Kittens should begin eating solid food about 3½ to 4½ weeks
of age. Initially, one of the milk replacers or cow's milk
diluted 50:50 with water should be placed in a flat saucer.
The kittens' noses should be dipped into the milk two or
three times per day until they begin to lap; this usually
takes 1-3 days. Next, canned kitten food should be placed in
the milk until it is soggy. As the kittens lap the milk,
they will also ingest the food. The amount of milk should be
decreased daily until they are eating the canned food with
little or no moisture added; this should occur by four to
six weeks of age.
I have heard of milk fever. What
exactly is it?
Eclampsia or milk fever is a depletion of calcium from the
mother due to heavy milk production. It generally occurs
when the kittens are 3-5 weeks old (just before weaning) and
most often to mothers with large litters. The mother has
muscle spasms resulting in rigid legs, spastic movements,
and heavy panting. This can be fatal in 30-60 minutes, so a
veterinarian should be consulted immediately.
Do kittens need a special diet?
Diet is extremely important for a growing kitten. There are
many commercial foods specially formulated for kittens.
These foods meet their unique nutritional requirements and
should be fed until 12 months of age. Kitten foods are
available in dry and canned formulations. Dry foods are less
expensive and can be left in the bowl for the kitten to eat
at will. Kittens will eat small amounts as often as 12 times
during the day. Canned foods offer a change and are just as
nutritious.
Veterinarians recommend that you buy FOOD FORMULATED FOR
KITTENS. Adult formulations are not recommended since they
do not provide the nutrition required for a kitten.
Advertisements tend to promote taste rather than nutrition
so one should be careful that their influence on purchasing
habits is not detrimental to one's cat. Generic foods should
be avoided. Table food is not recommended; although often
more appealing than cat food, balanced, complete nutrition
is usually compromised. Dog food should not be fed to cats
since it is deficient in vital nutrients and the amount of
protein required by kittens and adult cats.
Veterinarians recommend that you buy NAME BRAND FOOD. It is
generally a good idea to avoid generic brands of food. We
recommend that you only buy food which has the AAFCO
(American Association of Feed Control Officials)
certification. Usually, you can find this information very
easily on the food label. AAFCO is an organization which
oversees the entire pet food industry. It does not endorse
any particular food, but it will tell you if the food has
met the minimum requirements for nutrition which are set by
the industry. Most of the commercial pet foods will have the
AAFCO label. In Canada, look for foods approved by the
Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA).
When should vaccinations begin?
Kittens are provided some immunity to feline diseases before
and shortly after birth. The mother's antibodies cross the
placenta and enter the kittens' circulation. Some antibodies
are also provided in the mother's milk. These "maternal
antibodies" protect the kittens against the diseases to
which the mother is immune. This explains why it is
desirable to booster the mother's vaccinations within a few
months prior to breeding.
Although very protective, maternal antibodies last for only
a few weeks; after this time, the kitten becomes susceptible
to disease. The vaccination program should be started at
about 6 to 8 weeks of age. Kittens should be vaccinated
against feline enteritis (distemper), respiratory organisms
(rhinotracheitis, calici, and pneumonitis), and rabies. If
the kitten will be allowed to go outdoors or will be in
contact with cats that go outdoors, leukemia and feline
infectious peritonitis (FIP) vaccine should also be
considered. Your cat's needs will be discussed at the time
of the first visit for vaccinations.
Maternal antibodies are passed in the mother's milk only
during the first 1-3 days after delivery. If, for any
reason, the kittens do not nurse during this important
period of time, their vaccinations should begin about 2 to 4
weeks of age, depending on likely disease exposure. A
veterinarian can make specific recommendations for each
particular situation.
Do all kittens have worms?
Intestinal parasites ("worms") are common in kittens.
Symptoms include a general poor condition, chronic soft or
bloody stools, loss of appetite, a pot-bellied appearance,
loss of luster of the haircoat, and weight loss. Some
parasites are transmitted from the mother to her offspring
and others are carried by fleas. Some are transmitted
through the stool of an infected cat. Very few of these
parasites are visible in the stool, so their eggs must be
detected by the veterinarian with a microscope.
A microscopic examination of the feces will reveal the eggs
of most of these parasites. Generally this test should be
performed at the time of the first vaccinations. However, it
may be performed as early as three weeks of age if a
parasite problem is suspected. Treatment is based on the
type of parasites found although some veterinarians elect to
treat all kittens because they know that fecal tests can be
falsely negative. Your veterinarian should be consulted for
specific recommendations for your kittens.
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