Keeping Foster Kittens Warm

Did you know that kittens under the age of 4 weeks are unable to regulate their own body temperature? When fostering kittens without a momma cat, it is important to help them stay warm!

What temperature should young kittens be kept at?

Below you can see basic guidelines. I have found the most important thing is to provide a warm area and a place for them to move away from the warmth if desired.

Age of Kitten	Nest Temperature
0-1 weeks	85-90 F
2-3 weeks	79-84 F
4 weeks	73.5-79 F

Nest Temperature is the temperature immediately surrounding the area where the kittens are kept.

Although the chart only goes through 4 weeks of age, I provide a heating pad all the way through the foster journey, as many kittens love to snuggle up on something warm.

My favorite heating source for foster kittens

My very favorite heat source currently is this heated bed - which is more like a glorified heating pad for pets. It is thin with a soft cover but has several pet-safe features. The cover is washable, the temperature can be chosen, as well as the duration. And - the cord is chew-proof!

SnuggleSafe

Another favorite heating source for foster kittens is the SnuggleSafe. This is a round microwaveable disk that stays warm for hours after heating. It comes with a fleece cover, although you can easily slip it under a blanket.

The reason this isn't my first choice is because it is expensive to purchase initially, and it has to be rewarmed (unlike the heating pad).

I do have several and this is what I place in crates when I need to transport kittens who need warmth. I also use these with tiny neonates when they are in a smaller space.

Pretend Momma Kitty

Another item I add for young kittens is a Calmeroos stuffed kitty. It does come with a heating element, but since I have other heating sources we don't use that part. I place the stuffed momma kitty near the heating pad area for the snuggle option. The Calmeroos kitty has a heartbeat feature and kittens love it.

How I use our heating sources for kittens

When kittens are young, they are kept in a smaller space. I place our heating source under a soft blanket and make sure the kittens can easily be on or off of the heat source.

My favorite soft blankets are shown below, click on the images to see them on Amazon.

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When kittens are older and don't *need* the heat, I usually have one source of heat available in case they like it.

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Looking for more foster kitten supply ideas? Check out our post featuring all of our favorites here!

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