Really small kitten - advice needed

How much do they sleep when they are so little?

A lot.

Should I let her roam about the room or keep her close?

Keep the kitty around you, maybe let the kitty walk around the house to get used to it. Be careful tho.

How do I make a litter box?

Supermarkets don't sell them? Go to a pet shop and with a litle more money you should buy a closed litter box (so it won't smell bad)
If you can't buy one, try to get a plastic box or something, put sand inside and it should work.

I need to go to work, is it ok to leave her in a one square meter box for 8 hours?

I do this with my cat, he doesn't eat it all tho.

Should I let her go outside the house sometimes?

Sure why not? Be careful because of the other cats.

I live in an third world country, many everyday things are not available here so I will have to improvise, like making a bed for her.

Get a old pillow and a old shirt. Did this with my cat. Do it in a way it doesn't look ugly.

EDIT: blacklisted well ok...

I have adopted orphan cats but they weren't so small. Sorry that I can't help but have a bump for been awesome!
Hope others can help you and give good suggestion (and I will learn too)

How do I make a litter box (they don't just sell them in supermarkets)?

Any low plastic container can be used if it is easy to get in and out of. I find that most litter boxes sold are not large enough for our cats so I just used a plastic tote with one side cut down slightly.

How do I know she wants to go?

They will pretty much instinctively will use a little box if you put them in after feeding. But it might take a while until they are ready to use it own their own.

I need to go to work, is it ok to leave her in a one square meter box for 8 hours?

I'm not sure that this is ideal for such a young kitten, but they do sleep a lot. Make sure it is a box they can't easily crawl out of.

Should I let her go outside the house sometimes?

I would wait until the cat is old enough to fend for itself if possible -- maybe 9 months to a year or more.

Good luck and congratulations! :)

Sorry I can't help, but I'd like pics of that pussy pls.

You shouldn't leave it alone for that long, it needs company as it's missing it's mum very much. Maybe elaborate us on why you have it so early?

edit: Best time to adopt a kitten is after 8 weeks.

edit2: Best way is to go to a pet shop and buy a litterbox, put her/him on it a few times per day. Or if you see him/her do her business somewhere else pick her up and put her in the litter box.

http://pets.webmd.com/cats/guide/newborn-kitten-care

There are kits you can buy for bottle feeding small kittens such as the one you have. I used to be a veterinary assistant and would take in litters of kittens that were too small to eat dry/wet food or had their eyes open. Generally they'll eat every 4-8 hours, they need to be expressed (take a damp rag and wipe their bottoms/genitals and do that before and or after feeding (You'll have to be patient with them as you do it). Never feed them straight up if you can help it, try to keep it laying flat and natural as if it were feeding from mom. You can make a litter box from the cardboard bottom of a case of water, just add litter and voila. At 1-2 weeks old it's going to be a couple more weeks before they can use the box. At 8 weeks, take the kitten in for FELV/FIV testing and start their vaccinations.

Sorry for the jumping around but hopefully you get the idea. Don't be hurt/shocked/surprised if the kitten doesn't make it. I've had more than one kitten not live through it's first few weeks of life on it's own.

A one week old? Seems rough D:

• What kind of milk is best for her (powder or regular)?
  The powder it depends what gives the milk (Vitamins and Minerals). When i raised my kitties i used regular milk, i always warmed the milk so they cam drink it.
  Also... the kitty eats alone? if not, you should buy a syringe and use it to feed it D: You need to be very patient when feeding it, sometimes they dont want to drink the milk and sometimes they will not want to stop drink it D:
  Good luck!

The youngest I had was 6 months old, but I'll try to help.
First of all:

a one week (?) old kitten

the vaccines will be made tomorrow.

O_O Ok, either you are really off with guessing her age, or the vet needs a serious talk. As far as I remember, the best time for the first vaccine is 7/8 weeks. And that's for a strong, healthy cat, not a furry ball of despair, that barely made it out alive.

Don't feed her cow milk, because lots of cats have lactose intolerance and she can get serious diarrhea after it and risking dehydration because of it, which can be highly dangerous for such little kittens.
If you can't find any special milk for cats, then just go with powdered baby milk.

Should I let her roam about the room or keep her close?

Let her explore her new surroundings, but keep an eye on her, so she doesn't hurt herself.

How do I make a litter box (they don't just sell them in supermarkets)?

Any small/medium of plastic/metal (or any other material, that won't soak up) box will temporarily do it. But maybe try looking around for cat litter? (sand, or stuff like that won't absorb the smell)

I need to go to work, is it ok to leave her in a one square meter box for 8 hours?

Something this small could use a bit more attention. Maybe ask some trusted neighbour/friend/family member to come by and look, if everything's ok and maybe even feed her?

Anyway, please keep us informed and good luck!

I'm on your black list :( may I know why?

I'm not sure about one week old kitten, as they usually separated with their mothers at one month or so, but if she can eat by yourself than it shouldn't be much more trouble. And I am in no way an expert, I'm just saying from my own experience. So, here we go.

They sleep a lot, but that something you don't need to worry about - she can do it be herself ^_^ She can roam around, just make sure you closing doors if you don't want regularly searching for her.

There are litter boxes and litter filler (I think you need some kind of zoo shop, and not regular supermarket). If you low on money you can avoid litter filler and fill the box with layer of newspaper (or any soft cheap paper) tore on small pieces. First few days (or longer - it's always different) she will go whenever and wherever she wants, so you soak a few pieces of paper in it and place it in the litter box, so she'll remember it by smell (and not, it don't that stinky, they just sense it better, even little ones). If you notice that she wants to go (you'll start noticing how she crouches, and at this age she'll very soon after eating, so just wait) - you pick her up and put in litter box. Litter box should have constant place and not change position. You can change it later, for example if she now lives only in your room, so you can move it into bathroom later, when she'll adapt to it and will be walking around all house. When you clean litter box make sure to leave a few wet pieces, so the smell will stay. When she'll be more grown up you can even stop using any filler, since she'll already learn the right place to do it. Of course it's not always best option, since some cats can go very stinky. But my cats don't leave any bad smell if you clean it in time, so that possible too.

I'm not sure about milk, since I never tried powdered one. I fed with slightly warmed up regular milk. I'm also not sure about 8 hours, if she that young. I just don't remember how often they have to be fed... But make sure that litter box also in that box. And be ready that she will learn how to escape that box pretty quickly.

I think it's fine to let her outside (of course while you watching her), so she'll adapt to outside world from early age. I live in city apartment, so my beasts don't walk outside, and prior to that I lived in countryside, with different cats, that on the contrary lived mostly outside. So I don't know about regulating mixed routine.

And you should definitely read some book about that too, and not just something that google, or some blogger or kind fellow from forum will tell you. There a lot of nuances that can be easily missed, or things that we just haven't encountered. Or we could've easily did something wrong ourselves.

Also, she could go meowing, especially at night, since she'll be missing mommy, so just pet her, nicely talk to her and wait till she'll get used to new situation.

So good luck to both of you, warmest regards to the kitty, and keep us posted!

If the vet prescribed vitamins and vaccines it's deffinetly not one week old(or the vet did not understand you well on the phone).I'v raised 15 kittens this year alone, this is just to give some experience background. If it was one week old it's eyes would still be closed, kittens open their eyes sometime between the 10th and 15th day of life, if it's eyes are open it's likely 2 weeks old, if it has teeth it's 3 weeks or older, if it's ears are "raised" it's 1 month or older. It should be easy to tell by these clues what it's approximate age is.

Now in case is actually is that young here's some "general" tips that should get you through it. You're gonna have to feed it, in the first 2 weeks of life they need to be fed (ideally) every 2 hours, then you add one extra hour for every week. Special formula would again be ideal but since you live in a third world country regular baby formula will do, it's considerably cheaper and easier to acquire, just make sure to boil the water welll and then cool it so it does not burn the kitten. If it's that young it can't pee on it's own, you will need to "stimulate" it like it's mother would, preferably a moist napkin or even toilet paper that you moisten a bit with warm water, be sure to do so before and after feeding it. Also make sure to keep it warm unless you live in a tropical country, put it in a box with some blankets and with a warm 500ml water bottle, it can even be a little hotter and you can put it in a sock, this will keep the kitten warm and act as a sort of surrogate so it does not feel alone, it will keep the kitten much calmer as well.

If you need any more advice feel free to ask here/add me on steam :)

that thing is the best toy, house, or what ever thing you name, this is the solution, if you have 1 on these, your cat will be really happy for some reason.

when my brother got his +- a week or 2 old kitten, he was drinking powdered milk (warm) and to make it poop, you need to run its butt

View attached image.

Can't help you much there but luckily there are enough users who can. :-)
I just can tell that this kitten is older than 1 week as it takes about 1 week until they begin to open their eyes.

Bump.

i arrived way too late to give original advice, so I'll just congratulate you on your new life companion. Take good care of it! :)

>One week kitten
They're not really stable until 3 weeks.
Don't let them get over-stimulated until that point.

Edit: Judging by your photo, I'd guess 2.5 weeks.

>How much do they sleep?
They'll likely sleep while they're still in that initial baby phase, but once they get a few more weeks in, they'll be everywhere.
Not having a distinct mother to curl against may also see them acting out sooner.
They're basically going to be as demanding as any baby, for the first few months, though by virtue of being a cat, far less likely to get into severe trouble.

>Should I let her roam or keep her close?
Keep them close early on, if you're planning on forming a bond with her.
Kittens get very attached to whomever is near them their couple of months, and keeping her close forms nurturing bond.
Also, they're still young yet, and prone to not thinking things through [even in just a, don't run into walls sense]. Keep a good eye on them for the first two or three months.

>Litter Box
You can buy one, or repurpose a carboard box. Bought ones are easier to attach liners to. You can use tape and white kitchen trash bags as cheaper liners.
Keep the litter deep enough that they can fully, easily bury their waste, but not high enough that they can knock it out and make a mess.
The litter box will need to be deep enough to allow for that intersection.

Litter training can be instantaneous for smarter or more instinctual cats, but it can take a bit, as well. Be patient with them.
Never, ever physically punish a cat, or they'll get disobedient and resentful [and 'spraying' behaviors happen when cats are agitated, so punishing for those can lead to an endless cycle].
Hold their nose close to waste [but not touching it!] to tell them it isn't okay, then place them into the litter box immediately after. That'll form a strong association.

The Litter box should be changed every other day, typically, but a better rule is 'any time you clearly can see waste matter in the litter box, it probably needs to be changed'.
Not changing their litter box frequently can lead to them not using it, or getting agitated.

I'm really opposed to 'scooping' litter- it leaves most of the waste particles in the litter, and can lead to cats getting unhappy, or worse, sick.

Just replace the entire litter, it's cheap enough. :/

>Milk
Don't feed a cat milk directly. There's little in it that's good for them once they're adults, and most cats (something like 70%) are lactose intolerant. They love milk, sure, but it's not good for them.

However, when they're kittens, solid food is very hard for them.
To encourage eating it, SLIGHTLY warm kitten food in milk, forming a softer food alternative.
They'll also prefer milk over water in the early weeks, as well, and there's no harm in giving it to them, then.
Always make sure the milk is very slightly warmed, though if it's remotely hot, they won't drink it till it has cooled.

Powdered milk seems a terrible idea, at casual consideration. :/
Though if you can find anything formulated for cats in mind, it'll certainly be better than the alternative.
I can't say I've ever had to use special powders, so I wouldn't know anything here off-hand.

You CAN find lactose free milks, however, and those make excellent treats for cats, even the lactose intolerant ones, since milk and fish are the two near-universal cat loves. (You shouldn't give them nothing but fish, either, the mercury can build up and be toxic (to cats and humans both). Cat foods are often formulated to especially cater to cat nutrient demands, as well. If you feed a cat organic kibbles, they tend to have less health and hairball issues, as well- though don't hesitate to give them the occasional canned treat. Though, if possible, homemade 'canned cat food' is a far better option.).

> Should I let her go outside
YES. Cats left indoors get despondent, bored, depressed,etc.
It's very, very bad to leave them indoors.
If you start using a cat harness on them at around a month of age, they can even easily be taught to go on walks with you, same as a dog!
However, cats should always be monitored while outdoors, unless you're raising them as countryside cats.
If you're in any remotely urban area, always keep a close eye on them.

Be consistent. Cats intended for outdoor living need to be able to go outdoors regularly [put in a cat door] and have total freedom. Cats intended for mainly indoor living should still be taken out regularly, but with you watching them each time.
(Note, most cats love to play outdoors, and you can take soap bubbles and the like to play games with them while out there, even if you're not keen on walks.)

>Leave in box
If you have to while she's a kitten, sure, but cats hate feeling trapped, and will try their best to escape the box.
Cats are like any baby in their early weeks, and will almost always cry out while you're not there for a long period of time.
There's not really any negative to it, other than that, though a box that small means you'll come home to her sitting in her waste and with food spilled all over it. :/

>Licking Hand
Cats lick you for three reasons.
To comfort you, to show affection, or to entreat you to stop what you're doing [ie, it's often a precursor to them biting you if you're rubbing them wrong].
As a kitten, it'll mean two things: They're searching for food, or they're expressing childlike affection to a parent figure.

>Bed
Cats will sleep anywhere.
If she ends up viewing you as family, she'll want to sleep with you, usually in your bed or next to it.
You can just throw some clothes down in the meantime, they love making nests of those.
If they're still-reasonably-clean clothes you've worn for a bit, your smell on them can comfort and encourage them in early weeks.

>Her Age
If she's moving around easily and her eyes seem totally alert, she's closer to 3 weeks.
If she's prone to mewling and her eyes seem a bit sleepy, closer to 1 week.

Most important thing about cats, PERIOD:
1: BE PATIENT. Cats learn faster than humans, but they're still just children to start with. Making unreasonable demands can ruin how much the cat is willing to pay attention to you requests
2: BE CONSISTENT Never make excuses for rules- if they're not allowed on the counters, for example, never make exceptions. Cats learn by habit and association. Always use the same punishment, and never mix punishments. IE, blowing in a cat's ear could mean she made a mess. Spraying her with a water bottle means she's on something she shouldn't be.
The exact association of punishments is up to you, but always make sure they're consistant, make sure they're never physically painful (irritating them is fine- hugging can be surprisingly effective if they're misbehaving), and make sure you don't mix punishments.

If you do that, cats will almost never break rules.
3: Never punish for them obeying you Doesn't matter what they just did, if they came when you called, that's what's important. Grab them, hold them firm- but not tight- and stare them in the eyes- and let them know they're in trouble. But then set them down, give them a pat, and don't worry about the issue anymore.
Cats don't need massive displays of stern punishment, like dogs do, and when people try to use those, that's when cats start misbehaving and not listening to commands/training.
Cats instinctively attune to your moods and behaviors, and will recognize when they did things wrong from them. They're a lot more easily affected by a stern gesture or command than a dog is, and if you've raised them properly, won't disobey those.

Bonus:
Cats do speak, just as well as humans do, most humans never bother learning.
Cats can't easily understand words, like dogs can, so don't bother, there- they'll learn their name, and not much else.
Use different tones and pitches, use whistles and clicks and snapping of fingers, and try an be consistent in the pitch you use, and what you associate each behavior with (ie, snapping fingers could be associated only with treat-if-you-come/punishment-if-you-don't). Use body language when possible- tilting your head, shifting your shoulders, etc, cats pay a lot of attention to your body and presence.
Cats don't instinctively get things like pointing your finger, but they can be taught to recognize meaning in gestures with patience.

Of course, every cat, like every human, is different, so make sure to learn your cats particular patterns of behavior and cater to them!

Source:
Decades of learning from, and teaching cats.
Cats I live with can use the toilet, sit at the table, play fetch, tell me when their litter needs to be changed, asked to go on walks (which they can do unharnessed, obeying verbal commands), etc;
Cats I live with don't ever misbehave- never going on counters, never eating food that isn't theirs without asking first, etc.
Cats are smarter than most things in the world, most humans just don't bother trying to learn how to speak with them.
Of course, every species has a few more simple-minded members, but there, patience is a virtue :)

So, for the going outside the house question, I have an answer (but it's complicated).

There are three kinds of pet cat philosophies. They can be summarized as follows.

1. Indoor cat
2. Mixed cat
3. Outdoor cat

There are reasons to prefer each of these. An indoor cat is easier to "take care of" in that you know where (roughly) it will be, and is safe from most communicable diseases and other animals. If this cat is super precious to you, indoors is best. If you ever get the cat de-clawed you should make sure it stays inside almost all the time, because it won't be able to defend itself as well.

A mixed cat is a more complicated idea. If you raise a cat in your home, and let it in regularly, it will treat your home as a sort of base of operations. Whether it spends more time indoors or out depends on the cat, and you may not see the cat for long stretches of time. The benefits are that you only need to leave food and water available, and perhaps a litter box in the house if the can't can't freely come and go (and perhaps even if it can). Downsides are that the cat might not work with you on scheduling. There's a rather famous joke about a cat walking to a door, scratching at it as if wanting to go outside/inside, and then once a human opens the door it turns around and walks away. It's not just a joke, it happens. Also risk of cars and predators.

An outdoor cat... well, that doesn't seem like your plan anyway. At that point, with how independent cats are, it's not really even a pet.

Almost everything that I could tell you had been already said, a quick tip that I discovered jusr recentrly is that don't put the water cup and the food cup one near the other, usually the cats hate it, place one 1 o 2 meters away from the other.

I can only give a little advice. For the bed just go with a small cardboard box cats love them, my sure does, also put it somewhere warm, but since this is a little kitten I don't know how warm. While it is still young try to keep it close to you and play with it or just pet it, so that it bonds to you. Currently it is still young but once it gets older it will have lots of energy, so you will have to play with it or face the claws on furniture an curtains.
One last thing try to get it used to water, if it can be done.

so cutee! :3

You've scared me there for a moment.
This kitten is approximately one month old, so you can manage even if it's your first kitten.
Go for powdered milk (other milk gives them bad diarrhea and that can be lethal). If she doesn't drink from a cup yet, feed her with a syringe every couple of hours, but be careful not to overfeed her.
If she doesn't poop, soak a piece of cloth in warm (but not hot) water and gently massage her butt, and hope this helps. (Not pooping can be a serious problem)
If you think it's cold, wrap a cloth around a bottle filed with hot water and put it in her bed. If she gets too hot, she will get away from it, and if she is cold, she will snuggle in it. This trick is used with newborn kittens, because they can't shiver when they feel cold, but don't worry, yours isn't that young.
That's all that comes to my mind right now, ask if you have questions. Good luck.

I'm really clueless when it comes to kittens, sorry :(
But I wish the two of you all the best, and that the little one stays healthy ♥