Kitten 101 – Raising and Fostering Kittens – The Basics
It’s raining kittens, everywhere! Here is an overview of Kitten 101 to provide the basics if you adopt or find kittens to help them thrive. There are so many resources online too with in depth details.
Debbie Henry, director of Animal Angel Aid, is a big advocate for community cats and TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return). Animal Angel Aid has a compassionate philosophy that all life is equal, and manages to find foster homes for pregnant stray, sometimes feral, moms who find their way into Animal Angel Aid managed colonies throughout the year. These moms are situated in safe, loving homes where their babies can be born inside. Orphaned babies, sometimes still too young to eat on their own are also found. These “bottle babies” require round the clock special care, food and monitoring to ensure they can thrive and grow without a furry mom.
Found kittens should be seen by a vet to ensure they are healthy. NEVER use FLEA treatment or medicated shampoo on kittens under 8 weeks. It will KILL THEM!
The peak season for kittens is April – September, but in some places it’s year round. Mom cats, called QUEENS, are pregnant for 58-67 days. There can be a different dad for each kitten, which explains how there can be so many different kitten colorings in a single litter.
There are many great online resources for kitten care, from neonatals through 1 year old. Some of our favorites are the Kitten Lady webinars on kitten care. Use the link below to visit her page and check out the webinars!
* The best scenario for kittens under 4 weeks is to be with their mom. This increases their chances of survival.
- String, yarn, ribbon, dental floss.
- Paper clips.
- Pins and needles.
- Rubber bands and hair ties.
- Plastic bags (especially drycleaners’ bags—she could suffocate)
- Anything else that your cat might chew.
Kitten to Human Age Years Chart by ExcitedCats: https://excitedcats.com/how-to-tell-cats-age-in-human-years/
Kitten stage photos by the Kitten Lady: https://www.kittenlady.org/