Purchase Incubators for Neonatal Kittens

Caring for neonatal kittens (kittens up to four weeks old) is a commitment that takes a lot of time and hard work. At such an early stage of development, kittens are very unstable and are especially susceptible to illness. The sad truth is that there is a high mortality rate when kittens are abandoned or their mothers are unable to care for them. When they are less than 3 weeks of age, they are unable to regulate their body temperatures and need a safe heat source to thrive. Even without added health problems, caring for bottle babies can present many complications. Being so small and vulnerable they must be monitored constantly to ensure they are doing well. That means we must weigh them regularly, keep meticulous records regarding their growth and formula consumption, and keep a slew of items on hand at all times to give them the greatest chance of survival. The best way to ensure things go well is to have the proper equipment, medications, supplies, and to always have access to veterinary care.

Last year between our two bottle feeders we had 81 (!) neonates from 30 separate litters. Our dedicated foster families pour their hearts into caring for these orphaned kittens, but it is not without heartache, stress, and a lot of long nights! Thanks to generous donations last year we were able to purchase a hospital quality brooder/ICU unit and were also able to build a custom incubator brooder. These are critical, life-saving units that give the most delicate and fragile infants the best chance of survival.

The biggest challenge we face is the overlap during kitten season from one litter to another. We can’t safely introduce kittens to one another until they complete their quarantine period. We have to be extremely conscientious of quarantining new arrivals, sanitizing everything they come in contact with, and sterilizing all of the tools used to feed them. This is where we need your help! Our goal is to obtain at least two more incubators so we can adequately quarantine and isolate individual babies or litters. We appreciate any and all donations that will allow us to safely intake more neonates and save these little lives!