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SNUGGLE PET RESCUE
Special Needs Under Gentle Guided Love Everyday
ARE YOU SEARCHING FOR INFORMATION
Rescuing orphaned and special needs kittens and puppies who require foster care due to illness or injuries.
Resources
Triage and General Care Information for Newborn Kitten and Puppy Care
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After caring for sick, injured and abandoned newborn kittens and puppies since 2004, SNUGGLE Pet Rescue, has learned a lot. Some things were learned by accident and there were the things we learned from our mistakes. As they say, "Practice makes perfect," and we sure have had plenty of that. Often, we are asked to provide lifesaving information when other individuals or organizations are dealing with an unusual or difficult situation involving a kitten, puppy or even an entire litter. We are always happy to share the knowledge we have gained, especially when it leads to an animal surviving.
SNUGGLE Pet Rescue is committed to giving every animal a chance and we have gone to great lengths to save many who no one else would take. This is made possible because of the support of generous donors. This information is our way of paying it forward. If we can be a part of helping to save a life, then we are fulfilling our mission. To access our Lifesaving Kitten and Puppy Triage and Care information click on the link below.
Determining the Age of a Kitten or a Puppy
Aging Kittens and Puppies
Most people, when asked the age of a young kitten or puppy, often tell us they do not know. That is one of the first things SNUGGLE Pet Rescue will determine with each new arrival. The information below will help you look for certain characteristic and behaviors to figure out a kitten and puppy's age. These are just guidelines since all babies, including people, develop at slightly different speeds.
NeoNates
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Totally helpless
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Depends on mother for food
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Mother eliminates waste
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Cannot stand
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Eyes and ears are closed
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Cannot hear or smell
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Cannot maintain body heat
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Weighs equal to 5 to 8 Oreo Cookies
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Umbilical cord is still attached
3 Days Old
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Starting to hold head up
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Depends on mother for food
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Mother eliminates waste
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Cannot stand
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Eyes are closed
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Ears are still closed
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Still can't hear
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Sense of smell developing more
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Umbilical cord may be attached
1 Week Old
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Starts to move some on their own
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Mother still nursing
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Mother eliminates waste
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Eyes are starting to open
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More aware of surroundings
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Ears are starting to unfold
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​Should gain 2 ounces per week​
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Venturing further from mom
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Starts to interact with litter mates
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Will hiss at smells
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Depends on mother for food
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Mother eliminates waste
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Ears are up
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Eyes are open
2 Weeks Old
3 Weeks Old
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Completely mobile
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Brain and feet aren't synched
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Starting to play more
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Offer safe toys to play with
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Their flat teeth are coming in
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Can start adding rice cereal to formula
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Mother still eliminating waste
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Can likely confirm if boy or girl
Puppies
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Neonatal Stage (Birth to 2 Weeks): Completely dependent on mother for food and waste elimination​
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Transitional Stage (2 to 4 Weeks): Start opening their eyes, developing senses, cutting teeth
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Socialization Stage (4 to 12 Weeks): Becoming more interactive
One pretty reliable way to determine the age of a kitten or puppy is to look at their eye color. They are all born with blue eyes, but their eye color starts to change at 5 weeks.
85% of the animals we care for are kittens and 15% puppies. This is determined by the requests for help we receive.
Need a Name for a Kitten or a Puppy
In May 2025, we asked the SNUGGLE Pet Rescue Facebook followers for name suggestions that we could call our kittens and puppies. Since 2004, we have had to name approximately 6,300 babies. That requires a whole lot of creativity, so it was time to ask for some help. We are now sharing the list in case you are stuck naming a new furry family member. Click on the image below to see the full list.
Cathy McCredie
Animal Rescuer
Chesterfield, Missouri
"SNUGGLE Pet Rescue volunteers are the heart and soul of the organization. It's amazing how they consistently rely on their specialized skills and endless compassion to give neonates a life they'd most likely miss out on. They are the go-to organization in our area for rescue groups and even veterinarians when they don't have the resources to provide the incredible amount of time and money required to bring these babies back from the brink of death. Thousands of animals owe their lives to SNUGGLE Pet Rescue."
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