A.S.A.P. Alonnisos Society for Animal Protection.

Orphaned kittens and puppies need very special care if they are to survive. Separated from their mothers, their immature immune systems leave them vulnerable to infection and disease. Irrespective of how well they are looked after they may die: if they are not looked after properly, they will surely die. If you find abandoned puppies or kittens in or near the rubbish bins, please do not leave them there to die slowly of dehydration and starvation (or by crushing when the garbage truck collects them): pick them up or call ASAP on 6976874679. Please be aware that here on Alonnisos kittens and puppies are rarely dumped singly – where there is one, there are likely to be several more of their litter-mates! Having rescued them from a slow or painful death, the decision then has to be made about their future. · The first option is to consider having them put down, especially if they are newborn and still have their eyes closed. This may seem heartless, but many of us have tried to raise orphans and have had to watch them slowly fade away, despite our best efforts. · The second option is to consider raising them yourself. If you take on this responsibility, be prepared for a 24 hour a day job for several weeks. Also, consider the future: if you intend to keep them once they have grown up, that’s great. If you will need to find homes for them, this may be more difficult than you imagine. If you go to the trouble of raising them and then abandon them, you are signing their death warrants. · If you are determined to raise the orphans then this must be done properly. They will need food, a warm place to sleep, somewhere to play once they are older, proper hygiene and medical care. As soon as kittens can walk they can be introduced to a litter tray (put some faeces in the clean litter, put the kitten in the tray and help it scratch around – it will quickly get the idea!). Puppies require a little more perseverance before they are house-trained: put some newspaper on the floor and, each time they mess, pick them up and put them on the newspaper. · Proper feeding is vital. The mother’s milk is the best food for baby animals but, lacking this, a substitute must be used which most closely mimics the natural constituents of the mother’s milk. ASAP has a stock of powdered kitten and puppy food. Cows’ milk alone may cause diarrhoea. · All puppies and kittens should be wormed when old enough and vaccinated: this is especially important in orphaned animals which have not received those antibodies usually passed on in the mother’s milk. Kitten formula: 2 cups whole milk 2 egg yolks 1/3 tsp bonemeal or 1/8 tsp powdered eggshells or 200-300mg calcium 1 or 2 days worth of crushed cat vitamins 100mg taurine (if not in vitamins) mix ingredients well, keep in refrigerator, warm to body temp. before feeding Puppy formula: 1 cup 50% milk and 50% cream 2 large eggs 1 tbsp protein powder ¾ tsp bonemeal or 500mg calcium 1 or 2 days worth of crushed dog vitamins mix ingredients well, keep in refrigerator, warm to body temp. before feeding How to feed kittens and puppies: Use a pet nursing bottle or a syringe (without the needle!). Give each animal just enough to enlarge abdomen slightly without distending it. The following is the most important point of all: after each feed you must massage the animal’s abdomen and swab the genital and anal areas with a cotton ball moistened with warm water. The mothers lick these areas to stimulate urination and defaecation. If you do not mimic this behaviour, the kitten or puppy can’t eliminate the toxins which will then build up and poison the system. The animal’s abdomen will become distended and the poor creature will die in agony! Schedule for kittens and puppies: Up to 2 weeks of age – 2 to 4 tbsp of formula every 2 hours. 3 weeks of age – 4 to 6 tbsp every 3 hours. 4 & 5 weeks of age – 6 to 10 tbsp every 4 hours. 6 weeks of age – 8 to 12 tbsp 3 times daily. As you can see, the schedule is a demanding one. When the kittens or puppies are 3 to 4 weeks old, introduce solids by mixing a powdered cereal (for human babies) to make a gruel and gradually wean from the bottle or syringe. Points to remember: · The eyes of kittens and puppies begin to open at 8 – 14 days · The first 2 weeks of life present the greatest risk to newborn animals, especially if they are not with their mothers. A kitten or puppy that does not eat frequently is likely to become chilled, and chilling is the greatest single danger to the newborn. However trauma, environmental stress, infectious disease and congenital defects can also prove fatal. · When baby animals grow up without the benefits of their mother’s milk, no matter how well a human feeds them, they can sometimes become sickly animals.