When your nursing cat is recovering from illness, there are certain things that you should do to help it feel safe. Remember that your cat needs reassurance, especially when it is in an unfamiliar environment. The way you treat him or her can make a big difference in their health care and recovery.
Avoiding verbal reprimands
Avoid verbal reprimands, even if it is the most humane way to correct a cat’s behavior. Cats are easily startled by verbal reprimands. Moreover, verbal reprimands can trigger aggressive responses such as scratching and biting. Some cats may even engage in frantic grooming to respond to the scolding. The key is to avoid disciplinary actions, such as scaring your cat, engaging their freeze response, or causing pain.
Avoiding loose bedding
Avoiding loose bedding is important for the health and safety of your nursing cat. Large litters can cause competition between nursing cats for space and nursing time. You can change the bedding gently and quietly. However, do not disturb the mother cat while nursing. She will start coming out for feeding breaks.
Avoiding cow milk
Avoiding cow milk when caring for a breastfeeding cat is a good idea for several reasons. For starters, cow milk contains lactose, which makes your cat sick. It can also cause your cat to dehydrate. And while almond milk is rich in protein, it cannot compete with the body’s nutritional needs. Therefore, you must supplement almond milk with a well-balanced diet.
Another reason for avoiding cow milk when caring for a nursing cat is that cats do not tolerate it well. Their body doesn’t produce lactase, which is a digestive enzyme that breaks down dairy products. Consequently, consuming cow milk can cause diarrhea and vomiting, two common symptoms of lactose intolerance in adults. In addition, cats should not consume cheese, ice cream, or other foods that contain dairy products.
Keeping kittens warm
When caring for a nursing kitten, you must ensure that the kittens are kept warm. This is vital for newborn kittens as they cannot regulate their own body temperatures. If you notice a decrease in body temperature, make sure that the kittens are wrapped in a warm towel. If possible, provide them with a heat source such as a heater or space heater. However, you should keep the heater or space heater at a moderate temperature so that they can move away from it easily.
It is also important to keep kittens warm at night. The best way to do this is to use a heating pad that is approved for use with pets. You can also place towels or a soft fleece blanket on top of the heating pad. Keeping the kittens warm is essential during the first couple of weeks. If the heating pad is too hot for your kitten, it can lead to dehydration.
