How to properly take care of a kitten that's the runt of the litter.

When choosing a puppy or kitten from a litter, you may find yourself drawn to the small runt fighting for attention.These runts draw on the natural protective instincts of people and are usually the first adopted.There are often special considerations.

When choosing a puppy or kitten from a litter, you may find yourself drawn to the small runt fighting for attention.These runts draw on the natural protective instincts of people and are usually the first adopted.There are often special considerations.

A runt is an animal with a low birth weight.A runt's birth weight will be below the normal range, but almost every litter with multiple animals will have newborns ranging in weight.In a litter of pups, you may have puppies from 8 to 10 ounces.The runt may weigh 6 ounces.Most of the time, this lack of growth has to do with where the little guy was born.Runt placement can result in a lower birth weight.

Because of their smaller size, human intervention after birth is sometimes necessary to ensure these smaller animals get the food and nutrition they need to grow and thrive.They battle with their siblings at feeding time, which sometimes necessitates bottle-feeding.Fading puppy or kitten syndrome is a concern with any newborn.Weight gain needs to be monitored.A veterinary check is needed if a runt is not gaining weight.Weak bones, underdeveloped organs and heart issues are some of the issues runts may suffer with.If you have a new puppy or kitten, you should have your vet check it out to make sure there are no medical concerns.

Runts may start out small, but that doesn't mean they will stay that way or suffer any long-term medical issues.Many runts grow up to be the largest animals from a litter.George, the tallest dog in the world, began his life as a runt.

Runts that survive to 6 to 8 weeks of age will develop like their litter mates.Your vet will give your new runt a thorough examination to rule out any development issues and possible medical conditions after you bring him home.Feed your puppy or kitten food in the recommended serving size.He doesn't need more to catch up.He may need supplements if he is not gaining weight or developing as he should.