1. Kittens 101 Bottle babies to surgery (Day 1 to Two Pounds)

2. Kitten Season  25-50 kittens of all ages/size come into ACPS daily  Some are itty-bitty & need bottle feeding every few hours  Some come in with their mamas who do the work but need a safe place to grow  Some are eating on their own & just need to gain more weight so they can have surgery  Some have never known love & need help feeling safe  They all need Foster Soldiers!

3. The Milestones of Kittens AgeWeightMilestones Birth2 – 4 ouncesEyes and ears are closed 2 -3 daysUmbilical cord falls off 4 daysBegins to purr 10- 14 days8 ouncesEyes and ears should be open 2 – 3 weeks12 ouncesBaby incisors erupt; starting to eliminate without help; crawling, walking; ready for deworming 4 weeks1 poundBaby canine teeth erupt; starting to walk but not great balance; ready for 1 st vaccine 6 weeks1.5 poundsBaby premolars erupt; running, playing, using litter box, grooming self, eating dry kitten food 8 weeks2 poundsReady for spay/neuter surgery & adoption

4. Care to guess?

5. Two Months One Month One Week

6. Schedule of Events Pick up kittens from ACPS Give them food, shelter, & love Watch them for any possible medical issues At 4 weeks old, make appt. to get their first vaccinations/deworm at ACPS Continue appts. every 2 weeks until at least 2 lbs & then, schedule their spay/neuter surgery When kitties are weaned, schedule mama for surgery (the kitties are probably driving her nutty by then)

7. What if I have other pets? It’s important to always isolate your fosters from your pets for at least 10 days. The, if your pets are up to date on vaccines and willing, it’s okay to let them meet foster kittens.

8. Even Dogs… But always supervised.

9. Kittens with Mamas  Needs – Private/safe space – Large litter box for mama – Tiny litter box (cake pan or box lid) with clay litter for babies – Comfy/warm area to snuggle (blankets, towels) – Water – Food for mama left out all the time (you can’t over feed her –kitten food is great due to all the nutrients)

10. Kittens without Mama  Bottle babies  4 weeks +

11. Bottle Babies 101  5 Key Takeaways 1.Keep kittens warm 2.Provide kittens with adequate nutrition 3.Keep kittens clean 4.Do your best to protect them from infectious disease 5.Provide socialization with people and litter mates

12. Bottle Babies (under 4 weeks) Environment  Keep them warm!  Set up a cage/crate/box  Use a heating pad under a towel/blanket in PART of their enclosure (that way, if they get hot, they can get away)  Create a little nest with fleece or soft blanket so they can snuggle  Cover the cage/box with a towel to keep it draft free and cozy

13. Bottle Babies Feeding Time Kittens under 4 weeks old need KMR (Kitten Milk Replacement) every couple hours  Under 2 weeks: fed every 2 hours and should be woken up to eat  2 – 4 weeks: every 3 – 4 hours but should not be woken up to eat at this point  **kittens who are weaker/smaller should be fed more often – adjust schedule/amount for each kitten

14. Bottle Babies Feeding Amount  KMR is made w/ 1 part powdered formula and 2 parts warm water (provided by ACPS)  Amount: 10 ml or cc per 4 ounces of body weight / 24 hour period  May use tiny bottles/nipples or syringes  Sanitize after feeding  Tip – Keep a prepped bottle of formula in the fridge to quickly make bottles each day. Water bottles work well, or an empty ketchup/squeeze bottle.

15. Bottle Babies How to feed  Before & after feeding kitten, stimulate it to go potty (until 3 weeks old)  Using warm damp cloth or cotton ball, gently rub kitten’s genitals until it starts urinating  Kittens should urinate before/after each feeding & should defecate once a day  Do NOT lay kitten on its back!!!  Lean the kitten forward similar to how it would normally nurse, putting a towel or blanket under it (kitten will cling to/knead it)

16. Bottle Babies How to feed (continued)  Open kitten’s mouth gently with the tip of your finger & slip in the nipple/syringe  Hold bottle/syringe at 45° angle to keep air from getting into tummy  Keep slight pull on bottle/syringe allowing kitten to suck at its own pace  NOTE: if feeding multiples, take turns. Feed one until it stops sucking, then feed another one, and so on. Go back to feeding the first kitten and repeat until each has had enough to eat (fully stops sucking)  Stimulate kitten to potty again

17. Weaning Bottle Babies From the Bottle to Gruel

18. At four weeks, kittens needs to visit ACPS for their first set of booster shots. Book another appointment for 2 weeks to get 2 nd set of boosters. Continue to feed kittens both wet and dry food; be sure to keep litter box clean and water dish full. 4 weeks and up…

19. Bathing Kittens

20. Litter Box Training

21. All grown up… Ready for Surgery? To determine when your kittens are ready for surgery, remember:

22. What if something is wrong? Don’t worry – that part of training will come!

23. Remember – Kitten Army is here for you!