Orphaned kittens experience more stress than kittens cared for by their mothers, according to a new UC Davis study. Understanding the effect of being orphaned on responses to stressful events could improve their care.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of kittens end up in animal shelters, in need of permanent homes. But raising orphaned newborns into healthy, fluffy, frisky 2-month-olds ready to be adopted requires an enormous behind-the-scenes effort.