Hand-Rearing Kittens

Common pitfalls include:

Remember that newborn kittens have immature systems which are easily stressed - their livers are poor at detoxifying drugs, their kidneys are inefficient. They cannot store glucose for long and they cannot regulate their body temperatures for the first few weeks. Minimizing stress to their systems is essential.

Warmth

Kittens cannot control their own body temperature. They cannot shiver. They instinctively form kitten-heaps, snuggling on and under each other (often sliding off the top and burrowing into the bottom of the pile) and their mother keeps them warm by having the snuggle up to her body. Cold kittens cry for attention, but quickly become hypothermic and can no longer cry. A kitten's temperature will also affect its ability to feed and to digest food.

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