Homemade “Rice Socks” Keep Bottle-Baby Kittens Warm & Cozy
Help your local shelter or rescue group with this fun DIY!
Throughout kitten season (typically April to October), shelters and rescue groups are flooded with kittens. The most vulnerable of them are “bottle babies,” very young kittens who have been abandoned or orphaned and need to be bottle fed, in addition to receiving other special care. One of their needs is to be kept warm, which is where these rice socks come in handy. San Antonio, TX-based non-profit animal rescue organization San Antonio Pets Alive recently put out a call for volunteers to make and drop off rice socks to help out their neonatal kitten population: “We are in great need of rice socks to send home with neonates when going to a foster home. This would be a great school project…” pleaded the rescue group.
Gather up all those single socks—here’s how you can create rice socks for your local animal organization!
What You’ll Need:
- You’ll want a pre-washed, thick athletic sock (calf or knee length works best.)
- Uncooked, dry rice (the quantity will depend on the size of your sock, but do not fill to the top; you’ll need room to tie it closed.)
How To Make the Rice Sock:
- Pour rice into the clean socks. The easiest way to fill a sock is to place rice in a cup, stretch the sock opening over the cup, and dump the contents in the sock. You can use a funnel as another option. Don’t pack the rice too tightly; leave some room so the sock will still be flexible and can conform to a kitten’s body.
- Close the sock by tying a knot, as you would with a balloon.
- If using, to heat the sock, microwave for approximately 40 seconds, then test the temperature to see if it’s nice and warm or needs more time.
This article originally appeared in the award-winning Modern Cat magazine. Subscribe today!
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