What Do Kittens Need After Birth

If she doesn t you ll need to tear it open with your hands so that the kittens can breathe.

What do kittens need after birth. All kittens are born in a thin membrane birthing sac which your cat should remove as soon as her baby has arrived. Clean the kittens nose and mouth and rub them with a dry towel to encourage them to breathe on their own. The kittens usually emerge in individual birth sacs that the mother then licks away. Kittens are able to chew solid food around 5 6 weeks after birth and it is recommended that 30 of their diet should consist of solid food at this time.

After your cat has given birth she ll usually provide the warmth and nutrition that her kittens need. Newborn kittens need to feed every two to three hours. If she does not do this you will need to gently tear open the sac do not use a sharp object it s fragile so your hands should suffice as soon as possible to allow the kitten to breathe. But if you notice a foul smelling discharge that is a red flag.

The mother cat may have to be hospitalized for treatment and might need an emergency spaying. It should be fed specialized food because it needs to stay strong healthy and must produce enough nutrient rich milk to pass on to the kittens. By six to seven weeks old they should be able to chew dry food and you ll no longer need to moisten it. To feed a cat after giving birth during lactation you should feed your cat with kitten suitable feed.

It is essential that kittens receive colostrum to protect them against disease. Download and share our visual guide. You ll want to have certain items handy once the first kitten is born and throughout the process of birthing the litter. The mother cat will usually have normal vaginal drainage after birthing her kittens.

Other symptoms include lethargy fever and loss of milk production. Kittens can only absorb colostrum during their first 16 to 24 hours of life and they should feed within two hours of birth. As the kittens are born they ll be in a thin membrane sac and your cat should remove this sac immediately. The kitten is not freed from the birth sac.

Kittens need large amounts. Kittens are typically fully weaned by around eight weeks of age. Keep a careful eye on her while maintaining a respectable distance to make sure they are all safe and well. Items needed immediately after birth.

After the cords are severed by. Keep surgical scissors close and hemostatic forceps close by to cut the kittens umbilical cords from the placenta if the mother fails to do so herself.