As the number of animal shelters taking on the challenge of saving orphaned kittens grows, so does interest in new and more effective techniques for preventing and treating their common health problems.
In the spring of 2013, Maddie’s InstituteSM conducted an online survey that asked administrators, staff members and volunteers of animal shelters and rescue groups in the United States to comment on their organization’s approach to the care of orphaned kittens.
Of nine pre-listed health issues, the most frequently reported in orphaned kittens were the following:
- Internal parasites
- Diarrhea
- Upper respiratory infection
- External parasites
The least frequently reported were:
- Aspiration pneumonia
- Injury
- Fading kitten syndrome
- Ringworm
- Anorexa
If you’d like to see how other shelters, kitten nurseries and rescue groups are keeping their orphaned kittens healthy, check out these resources:
Maddie’s Institute Orphaned Kitten Care How-To Videos
Austin Pets Alive! kitten nursery health protocols
Sonoma Humane Society Foster Kitten Handbook
You can also get an overview of how shelters across the country are caring for orphaned kittens here, and view or download a PDF of the entire survey report here.