CARE AND MANAGEMENT 27 



selection of a foster-mother the age of both litters should 

 be about the same (at any rate within a week) as the 

 mother's milk varies according to the age of her offspring, and 

 not only this, but new-born kittens require more maternal 

 watching and warmth than kittens of three or four weeks old. 

 If it should happen that the mother dies or deserts her 

 babies or has no milk, and a foster cannot be found, you 

 must do your best to bring them up by hand. This in- 

 volves much care and patience. A hot-water bottle covered 

 with flannel comforts the tiny mites. They should be fed 

 every two hours during the day (and at least twice during 

 the night) for the first fortnight with milk and water and a 

 tiny pinch of sugar. Up to the end of the first week the 

 proportion of milk and water should be one part milk and 

 two parts water, including a little lime water. At the end 

 of the first week it should be half and half till three weeks 

 is reached, when it should be three parts milk and one 

 water. At three weeks old, if milk is not given, Mellin's 

 Food is to be highly recommended, and the proportions of 

 "Mellin's," milk, and water are given with the directions 

 for "infants and invalids," and common sense tells one 

 which of the directions to adopt. At five or six weeks old, 

 solid food ought to be given in very small quantities 

 three quarters of a teaspoonful of the finest and most tender 

 minced raw meat twice a day (but not given consecutively), 

 Mellin's food two or three times ; and a little thin arrowroot 

 may be given for a change, beef-tea or a tiny helping of fish 

 mixed with warm milk. This same diet only in rather 

 larger quantities may be given till eight weeks old ; from 

 that age to three months a little rice and gravy, Spratt's 

 puppy biscuit (very finely mashed), Salvo's or Freeman's 

 food or Phcenix with gravy. Rabbit-broth or fishy flavour 

 can be introduced, and is very much enjoyed. Milk pud- 

 dings too are good for kittens. Be sure to offer your cats 

 grass, as it is nature's own medigine, and animals will not 

 take it unless they need it. A nursing mother should have 

 three solid meals a day, and miik twice if she will take it, 

 but do not give her too heating and stimulating a diet, as it 

 is apt to produce scurf in the kittens. When this is noticed 

 give the mother a pinch of sulphur powder on her first meal 

 two or three times a week. 



