Keep the kitten WARM by placing it in a small box with a heating pad, set on LOW, cover the heating pad with a towel and place the kitten on top of the towel. Monitor frequently to be sure the kitten is staying warm enough, but not too hot.

Try to get some NUTRIENTS and liquid in it. Very weak kittens, or kittens under 4 weeks old will not be able to eat on their own. Prepare a milk replacement from whatever you have available (see recipes for emergeny milk listed below). Make sure the mixture is warmed to room temperature and feed it to the kitten using either a pet nurser bottle or an eye dropper. If the kitten appears to be at least 4 weeks old, and if you have it available you can offer canned kitten or cat food, or you can make a gruel by placing some dry food in a bowl with a good bit of water, heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds or so, and let it sit, to absorb the water; then mash with a fork to make a mush or gruel; add more water if needed. Offer this to the kitten. If it will not eat it, offer some replacement milk in a saucer or shallow bowl. If the kitten will still not eat, use an eye dropper or pet nurser bottle. Repeat feedings as often as the kitten will accept it, at least every couple of hours or so. If it is eating solid food, also offer some water in a shallow dish; you may have to gently touch the nose to the water to encourage it to drink, they usually have not learned how to do this yet. Alternatively, mix plenty of water with their solid food.

Check the kitten for FLEAS. If flea infestation is severe, this can quickly kill a kitten, however, getting the fleas off the kitten may present a problem. If the infestation is severe and the kitten is very very young, it is best to seek veterinary help as soon as possible. Frontline spray is not labeled for use in kittens under 6 weeks of age, but is very safe for young kittens. Advantage is also an excellent product but does not achieve an immediate kill as does the Frontline spray. Use sparingly, be careful not to soak the kitten as this will chill it. It is best to use a cottonball moistened with the spray to apply it to the puppy, especially around the face area. Apply it only in this manner to the face, do not spray the face. And you should apply it to the face first. You can also bathe the kitten, if it is not severely ill, with Palmolive dishwashing liquid or baby shampoo. This will not kill the fleas but it will stun them and give you an opportunity to pick some of them off. Towel dry the kitten and keep it warm until dry. DO NOT attempt to bathe the kitten if it appears to be very ill or weak, as the stress of the bath could kill the kitten: in this instance try applying baby powder or talcum powder which will cause the fleas to surface, then you can pick them off as best you can. A flea comb, if available, will also help. Again, as soon as possible, get the kitten to a veterinarian for the appropriate medical care.

Young puppies and kittens cannot eliminate on their own and depend on the licking of the mom to stimulate these most important functions. You will have to be the "mom" in this case. Take a cotton ball or soft tissue paper and apply lukewarm water to moisten it. Then very gently rub the rectal and genital areas (one at the time, please!) in a back and forth motion. Do this until urine and stool are released. Repeat this procedure several times a day, after meals is an ideal time.

This kitten will be alert and active, depending on its age. The gums should be pink, the body not too thin or dehydrated, and flea infestation will be minor or nonexistent.

If it is a tiny kitten, less than 10 DAYS OLD (see "how old is your kitten?" below), it needs to be kept warm with a heating pad, on LOW SETTING, with a towel over the pad. Very young kittens cannot regulate their body temperature so it is very important to make sure it stays warm. It will need to be fed with an eye dropper or nursing bottle and also stimutated to urinate and defecate (see feeding and elimination instructions above). Feedings should be offered every couple of hours or so.

A kitten who appears to be between 10 DAYS and 4 WEEKS old will need to be kept warm, but not necessarily on a heating pad. A small box with blankets or towels should suffice. This kitten will also need to be hand fed with an eye dropper or nursing bottle but if it appears close to four weeks may be able somewhat to lick the milk from a platter. Stimulate this kitten to urinate and defecate (see feeding and elimination instructions above). If it is closer to 4 weeks it may be able to eliminate on its own. Watch closely for this.

A kitten that is older than 4 weeks and is in good shape should be able to eat on its own. Offer a saucer of milk (made from one of the recipes)or gruel as described above to see if it will eat on its own. Or try some canned cat or kitten food. Feed this kitten about 4 times a day, and watch for urination and defecation.

If there are FLEAS on the kitten, follow the instructions above for bathing or using Frontline. It would be best NOT to bathe a very YOUNG kitten if the flea problem is insignificant; wait until you can get it to a vet to handle this problem.

A kitten who's eyes are not open is less than 10 DAYS OLD. Often remnants of the umbilicus are still attached. A kitten found this young cannot be far from its mother, so an intensive SEARCH should be made to locate the mother and any other kittens. A kitten that has its eyes open but has no teeth is under 6 WEEKS OF AGE. A kitten that has a full set of baby teeth is at least 5-6 WEEKS OLD. Adult teeth, starting with the incisors (front teeth), will begin erupting at around 2-21/2 MONTHS OF AGE. A kitten with a full set of adult teeth is at least 6-7 MONTHS OLD.