You've just rescued a kitten, so what do you do first, take it to the vet, give it a bath, what kind of food can you give it? Rescuing a helpless animal comes with a lot of questions, especially if it's the first time it's happened to you. At this point, it's important to stay calm and follow certain protocols to ensure the animal's safety. To help you, you canFirst-time rescuers, Patas da Casa talked to Daniela Saraiva, who is responsible for the Cabana do Picapau shelter in Rio de Janeiro and has rescued and donated more than 1000 cats. Check out 6 important tips!

1. take the kitten to the vet for a check up

It sounds obvious, but many people don't understand that when rescuing a feline they should go straight to the vet, especially if you have other animals at home. The doctor will do a clinical examination and see if the kitten has any wounds, if the eyes have any infections (conjunctivitis is quite common in kittens), take the animal's temperature and probably order some tests. In addition to theblood count, it is essential that the kitten be tested for FIV and FeLV (Feline AIDS and Feline Leukemia, respectively), very serious diseases that require specific care. It is important to remember that a cat positive for these diseases cannot live with healthy cats.

2. feeding the kitten: mother's milk, kibble or cat food?

Feeding a kitten requires some care. First, do not give cow's milk to a feline, ok?! The ideal is to buy milk suitable for feeding kittens, which can be recommended by the veterinarian and found in pet-shops. The kitten needs to be fed every 3 hours.

In the case of animals that are only a few days old, you need to look for a nursing mother. "When the baby still has its eyes closed, in the first week of life, it is more difficult for it to survive without a nursing mother," says Daniela. Therefore, it is important to look for a cat that has recently given birth and try, in some way, to get her to feed another kitten. But take some care with the baby.animal health: Daniela advises that putting an unhealthy baby together with a healthy cat can be quite risky, so again, it is super necessary to do an FIV and FeLV test before everything.

Puppies begin to be interested in dry food from one month onwards. The recommendation is that the food should be specific for puppies and of good quality. "You can start offering wet food as well, such as pâtés and sachets for puppies. But in moderation, as they are usually very fatty and this can result in diarrhea ", he adds. The ideal is to introduce any type of food little by little.

3 Caring for cats: what about bathing? Is it necessary?

Cats don't usually like to be bathed, and bathing them can be very stressful. If you think your kitten is too dirty, you can clean it with a wet wipe or a washcloth. If you still decide to bathe it, it is important that the water is warm and dry the kitten at the end. Never leave a kitten with wet fur, as this can lead to the development of a cold and even a flu.even pneumonia.

4. worming for kittens should be given after one month of life.

Some steps are necessary before giving a dewormer to a puppy. With her experience in rescues, Daniela is in favor of waiting a little, especially if he is still in the first days of life. "If the puppy is very weak, the dewormer can further affect his immunity," says Daniela. On the first visit to the veterinarian, talk about the procedures necessary for the treatment.Never give a medicine to a kitten without a recommendation: in the case of worm medicine, it is necessary to base it on the weight of the animal.

5. teach the newborn puppy to potty on its own

At birth, the kitten does not know how to do its business - it only begins to learn this when it is about 15 days old. The mother herself stimulates the kittens by licking the genital area. In the absence of a mother, it is important that you help the kitten to understand this: just wipe it with a cotton pad moistened with warm water.

Around 20 days old, kittens are able to use the litter box on their own. It's pure instinct and you just need to leave a clean box near them. It is important that this object is of the ideal height for the kitten to be able to get in and out without difficulty.

6. keep the kitten warm at all times

As soon as you bring the kitten home, prepare a warm place for it to snuggle up. "They can't maintain their body temperature. Up to about 15 days of life, you need to pay special attention and keep it well warm," says Daniela. For this, you can use a warm water bag wrapped in a towel. It is very important to check the temperature well and make sure that the kitten does not get cold.Blankets, pillows and lots of cloths can help with this.

Gallery with kittens that were rescued and today are doing great!

Will you keep the kitten or make it available for adoption?

After caring for the kitten, you must decide whether to add the feline to your family or make it available for adoption. If you choose to adopt the kitten, it is important to take care of it throughout its life. This kitten should be vaccinated and neutered - check with your veterinarian if it is necessary to repeat the FIV and FeLV tests. It is essential that the house is shingled so thatYou, as the guardian of this animal, must ensure a quality diet and always make fresh water available, as well as encourage it to hydrate itself a lot to avoid kidney problems. If possible, invest in a catified and enriched space so that the kitten can express its natural behaviors: shelves, niches, scratchers and toys are a good idea.key to providing a better quality of life for them.

If you choose to give the kitten away, have some criteria with adopters. Requiring contract neutering at six months of age is one way to ensure that that kitten will not have litters in the future, will be healthier and will live longer. You should only give a kitten to screened homes, which will be safer, as well as informing the adopter of the need to follow up on itregular visits to the vet, vaccinations and specific care. In the first few months, you can ask the adopter to send you photos and videos to make sure he is well and happy. It is always rewarding to see the results of a rescue!