It is important to keep kittens warm! Young, small, sick or underweight kittens will have trouble maintaining their body temperature and will need an external source of heat. Kittens less than 2 weeks old do not have a shiver response at all and cannot regulate their own body temperature. Ideally, room temperatures for the first 3 weeks should be 80-88 degrees, when that’s not possible an external heating source should be provided. Most queens with kittens keep their kittens warm with their own body heat, but its suggested to offer her a heating pad on low.

At LHS, we most commonly use heating pads for permanent heating. The best models have three settings that can be adjusted based on the kitten's needs. Make sure that the heating pad you are using for foster kittens does not have an automatic timer shut-off. If the heating pad shuts off, we risk a serious loss of body temperature, which can lead to fading. Check the heating pad often.

For most kittens, we recommend keeping the heating pad in a medium setting. Older litters who are already exploring or who have a queen providing them warmth only need a heating pad on low. Small litters or single kittens need more help staying warm, but don’t turn up the heating pad! Instead, provide warm bedding and try covering the enclosure to keep in warmth.

Kittens should never be directly placed on the heating pad due to the risk of burns. Some heating pads have covers, or you can line the pad with a pillowcase or microfleece blanket. To maintain a clean living space, heating pads, and snuggle disks have removable covers that can be machine washed, and their vinyl or plastic surfaces are easily disinfected. Continually monitor the heating pad and electrical cord for scratches or tears from kitten teeth and claws and discard damaged heating pads.