What Temperature Is Too Hot for Newborn Kittens?

Newborn kittens are very susceptible to cold weather, so keeping newborns warm is often the top priority. However, newborn kittens can also get too hot.

This is especially true when you are caring for an orphaned kitten who does not have a mother to regulate his body temperature naturally after he feeds.

Therefore, it’s important that you know what temperature is too hot for newborn kittens, so you don’t accidentally end up cooking him instead of warming him.

Temperature ranging from 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39 degrees Celsius) or higher is considered too hot for newborn kittens. Newborn kittens have trouble regulating their own body temperatures and could die if they get too cold or too hot.

While it’s common for people to worry about keeping newborn kittens warm, it’s also possible for kittens to get overheated.

As long as the kitten doesn’t seem distressed or lethargic, there’s nothing wrong with letting him sleep on your chest, in your lap or by your side while you’re at home.

But if you need to leave the house while he’s sleeping then you should move him to a warmer area of the house like an enclosed sun porch or laundry room.

Also read: How Long Can Cats Hold Their Breath?

Safe Temperature Range for Kittens

The ideal temperature range for kittens is between 85- and 90-degrees Fahrenheit although normal temperature of a kitten is 100 degrees F to 102.5 degrees F. That’s according to Cindy McKenney, who runs Kitty World, a website dedicated to raising orphaned kittens.

The higher temperatures simulate what the kitten would experience if it were still with its mother. If your home doesn’t maintain such high indoor temperatures.

You’ll need to use a heating device to keep your kittens warm enough. You can use a heating pad set on low or medium under half of the bottom of the box where your kittens sleep.

You can also use an infrared heat lamp over the area where they sleep. In both cases, watch the temperature carefully to make sure it stays in the safe range and adjust as needed.

What Age Can Kittens Regulate Their Body Temperature?

The exact age at which kittens can regulate their body temperature varies depending on the cat but is usually between 3 and 4 weeks old.

A kitten’s body temperature should be roughly 101 degrees Fahrenheit, give or take a degree. If the kitten’s temperature drops below 97 degrees Fahrenheit, it could be in danger of hypothermia.

Newborn kittens are born blind and deaf, and are unable to regulate their own body temperatures, so it is important to keep them warm. It’s best to keep kittens with their mother until they are at least eight weeks old.

Factors That Affect Kittens’ Body Temperature

• Age: Kittens are born with a very low body temperature (98°F to 100°F). As they grow, their body temperature increases until it reaches adult levels at about 5 months old.
• Genetics: Some breeds have a higher body temperature than others. Domestic shorthair cats have the lowest average resting heart rate at 110 beats per minute (bpm), while Siamese kittens have the highest average resting heart rate of 170 bpm.
• Environment: Kittens can get too hot or cold if their environment is not kept at the right temperature.
• Activity level: When kittens are active, their bodies produce more heat than when they are resting or sleeping.
• Health status: If your kitten has an illness or disease, they may have an abnormal body temperature. Your vet will be able to tell you if this is the case and what to do about it.

How To Keep a Kitten Warm Without a Heating Pad?

Use a Warm water bottle. Fill a clean water bottle with hot water and wrap it in a towel. Put it where the kitten can lay on it or cuddle up against it. Make sure the bottle doesn’t leak or you’ll end up with a wet bed!

Cuddle with them! Kittens love being snuggled, so this is a great way for them to feel warm and secure. Try using blankets and pillows to make yourself into a “nest” for your kitty, so she can crawl in and snuggle up against you.

Create a bed out of towels or other soft fabrics that they can burrow under while they nap or sleep through the night.

This will give them an extra layer of warmth while still allowing them access to their litter box and food or water bowl if needed.

You might even consider adding some toys or treats inside the bedding, so they have something fun to play with when they emerge from their new sleeping spot!

Read also: Why is Newborn Kitten Panting?

Kitten Room Temperature Celsius

The ideal temperature for a kitten’s room is between 25°C and 27°C. Kittens are more susceptible to cold than adult cats, so it’s important to make sure their room is warm enough.

The best way to keep your kitten at the right temperature is to use a heat lamp or heating pad in addition to the heat provided by the sun or a space heater.

If you’re going to use a heating pad, make sure you place it under something that will insulate it from the floor so that your kitten doesn’t accidentally burn herself when she jumps on top of it.

Kittens should be kept in a temperature of about 70 degrees Fahrenheit. A veterinarian may recommend a slightly higher or lower temperature, but this is a good starting point.

The kitten’s bedding should be warm enough to provide some protection from cold surfaces.

How To Keep a Kitten Warm at Night?

Keeping a kitten warm at night is important. Kittens are very susceptible to getting cold and getting sick. The best way to keep a kitten warm at night is to have an extra blanket on hand.

You can also use an electric heating pad but make sure it is set on low or you could burn your kitten.

The second-best option for keeping a kitten warm at night is to get them their own little bed with lots of soft blankets or towels for them to snuggle up in.

This will help keep them warm as well as provide them with a place where they feel safe and secure.

The third way to keep a kitten warm at night is by using the same methods mentioned above. But also make sure that they have access to fresh water and food at all times throughout the day and night.

So that they can stay hydrated and fed while they sleep as well!

Other Things You Can Do

• Use a heating pad
• Warm up the room
• Keep your kitten in a cardboard box
• Keep kittens warm with fleece blankets

Heat Lamp for Newborn Kittens

Heat lamps are designed to warm up an area, not to keep it at a constant temperature. That means that you cannot rely on a heat lamp alone to keep your newborn kittens warm.

They can also pose a fire hazard if not used properly.

The best way to use a heat lamp for newborn kittens is by using it in conjunction with other methods of warming them up. For example:

Place the lamp near their bed so that the kittens can snuggle up under it and get warm. This will help them stay warm but will not necessarily keep them at a constant temperature all night long.

If you want to use the lamp as an alternative source of warmth during the night, instead of simply placing it near their bed,    plug it in where they sleep so they can reach out and touch it if they get cold during the night.

The best way though to use a heat lamp for kittens is by placing it in an area where it will not get knocked over and broken.

Kittens are very curious creatures, and they may try to climb up the cord or jump on the light itself. You should also place the lamp where it won’t be directly in front of any other objects.

Such as furniture, walls or curtains that could catch fire if they come into contact with the hot bulb.

When using a heat lamp for newborn kittens, make sure that the temperature doesn’t get too high because this could cause burns on their skin if they get too close to it.

How Do I Know If My Newborn Kitten Is Overheated?

Here are some signs that your newborn kitten may be overheated:

The gums are pale instead of pink. The tongue may be dry and tacky, with no saliva visible. The eyes may look sunken, and if the ears are hot, they may be red inside. The body temperature will also be elevated.

The kitten is listless, weak or limp; its breathing is rapid, shallow and labored. It may have a fever of 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39 degrees Celsius) or higher.

Finally, if you touch the pads of their feet, which should be cool to the touch, but instead feel warm, then it’s possible that your kitten has been exposed to too much heat.

You can tell if your kitten is overheated by feeling for the temperature of their ears and their tummy. When you touch the ear, it should feel cool to the touch.

If it feels too hot or warm, then your kitten may be having a fever. The same thing goes for the tummy. You want to make sure that it’s not too hot or too cold when you touch it.

If you see redness around the gums, then there’s likely no fever present and it could just be irritation from teething or something like that.

And, if your newborn kitten is overheated, you will notice that they are panting, and their tongue is sticking out of the side of their mouth. If this happens, take them to the vet immediately!

Other signs

• Not moving around much
• Closed eyes or partially closed eyes
• Stiff limbs, especially the back legs

Reasons Why Kitten Is Overheated

The first reason why a kitten may get overheated is because of its age. Kittens are very young and still growing, so they can easily overheat as their bodies struggle to regulate temperature properly.

The second reason why a kitten could get too hot is because of the length of time that it has been exposed to the sun or another heat source.

If you have been taking your kitten out for a walk in the sun recently then this could have caused it to overheat, especially if you have been carrying it around in your arms for some time before returning home.

The third reason why a kitten may become too hot is because of its fur coat. Cats have thick fur coats which are designed to keep them warm in winter months.

But which can also cause problems in summer months when temperatures soar outside and inside your home as well!

And that’s why it’s important to ensure that your kitten has fresh water to drink all the time.

Water plays a vital role in the regulation of temperature in mammals.

Also read: Why Does My Cat Sit in Front of The Heater?

Conclusion

Remember the old age of bringing an animal inside to keep warm and not the other way around? While adult cats can handle cold temperatures a little better, newborn kittens need to be kept warm enough to lower their body temperature well below normal levels.

At the same time, they also cannot handle higher-than-normal body temperatures without endangering their life.

So, what is the ideal temperature for newborn kittens during their early months of life? Between about 80 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit 27 to 30 degrees Celsius keeps them safe from the dangers of too much warmth or too little warmth.

Resouces

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

https://pets.thenest.com/keep-newborn-baby-kittens-warm-8417.html