Nurturing Your Newborn Kitten: How to Care for a 1 Week Old

Get used to their surroundings. Your kitten will want to explore its new home and surroundings. Let them! Provide plenty of toys and playtime, and don’t be afraid to let them out each morning and evening so they can use the bathroom outside.

Feed them well. A kitten’s diet consists mostly of milk or cream, so start feeding them as soon as possible after they’re born. If you’re breastfeeding, continue giving your kitten breast milk until it’s six weeks old (or when it starts eating solid food). Then gradually switch over to a diet that includes meat or dry cat food mixed with water or formula. Make sure they’re getting enough exercise; a half-hour walk every day is ideal.

Clean up their messes. Don’t be surprised if your kitten starts using the litter box from day one – they instinctively know how to do it! When your kitten starts spraying urine or poo, clean up the mess promptly with an enzyme cleaner such as Pine-Sol Liquid Cleanser or Nature’s Miracle Litter Box & Linen Refill . Be sure not to leave any traces of litter on furniture or rugs – this can lead to housebreaking problems later on in life.

Watch for health problems early on. Keep an eye out for signs of illness such as sneezing, coughing, red eyes, lethargy, vomiting or diarrhea – anything that seems unusual should be brought immediately into veterinary attention for diagnosis and treatment..