Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 2: Preparing to feed your kitten
• Part 2 of 2: Feeding your kitten
• Warnings

Ideally, kittens should stay close to their mother and feed from her for up to eight weeks before they are separated and / or transferred to other owners. If it is necessary to save their own mother, at her death or in those circumstances when the cat abandons one or more kittens, human intervention is required. There are a lot to consider if you need to feed a newborn kitten. A careful approach to business and proper preparation will turn artificial feeding of a kitten into a soothing and comfortable procedure for him, as a result of which a happy and healthy pet will grow out of him.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Preparing to feed your kitten

1. 1 Try to find another lactating cat. Ask veterinarians and animal shelters if they know where to find a nursing cat that can adopt someone else's kitten. Mother's milk is the best food for any mammalian infant, so before attempting to bottle feed a kitten with a special formula, it is recommended that you look for a foster mother who can take the place of an absent or abandoned mother.
   • Be aware that even if you manage to find a nursing cat, she may not accept the kitten.Always be present during the procedure of communication between a foster cat and a foster kitten; there is a risk that she will try to kill a kitten she will not accept.
   • If luck is on your side and you find a wet nurse, try to hide the foster kitten's real smell. Try petting the nursing kittens, and then pet the foster kitten. This will help give the scent of their own litter to another kitten. A cat is more likely to not accept a kitten if it smells differently, so by "getting rid" of the real kitten scent you increase the chances of your cat accepting it.
2. 2 Get some milk. A newborn kitten can only digest milk, and more specifically, cat's milk. Feeding your kitten the wrong milk, such as cow's milk, can have short and long term consequences, including diarrhea, dehydration, nutritional deficiencies, and long term health problems due to poor growth. For a kitten, you can buy a cat milk replacer, look for it at pet stores, veterinary clinics, or on the Internet. In Russia, you can find substitutes for cat milk brands Royal Canin, Beaphar, Canina and others. You can consult your veterinarian for specific advice on choosing a specific mixture available for purchase in your area.
   • Cat's milk replacer is usually sold in bottles or cans and can be either liquid or powdered. Its use is much like feeding a human baby with formula in that the instructions on the package must be followed, which will tell you how many spoons you need to use for a given volume of water.
   • Be aware that special milk for adult cats is NOT suitable for feeding kittens. It is regular cow's milk that has been removed from lactose to make it acceptable for feeding adult cats (more to compensate for the human desire to feed them milk than for any physiological benefit). It should not be given to kittens.
3. 3 If you can't find a cat milk substitute quickly, you need to have a backup plan. It would be ideal to use another cat's milk. If not, then give the kitten boiled water and buy a cat milk replacer as soon as possible. If the kitten is very hungry, add 1 teaspoon of glucose powder to 1 cup (240 ml) of boiled water. However, this can only be done once. Don't repeat it again.
   • Another alternative to making up for the temporary lack of a mixture is rice broth (the water in which the rice was boiled). Boil some white rice and drain the water. It will contain a small amount of starch (energy-giving), in addition, this water will not have a laxative effect, so it may be a temporary solution for you.
   • To prevent the kitten from becoming dehydrated, periodically give him water; it is better to make this compromise than to give the kitten something (like cow's milk), which can lead to an upset stomach and illness of the baby.
4. 4 Make a feeding schedule and plan your time. Remember that the younger the kitten, the faster its metabolism, and the more often it needs to be fed (due to its small stomach). This means that you or someone else in the family, or a friend, or a neighbor will have to be with the kitten all day until he is old enough to eat solid food.
   • A newborn kitten (technically, a kitten under two weeks old) needs day and night feedings until it is ready to begin the transition to solid foods.
5. 5 Be aware that a bottle-fed kitten can be weaned earlier. Weaning means that the kitten gradually stops milk supply and introduces solid food into its diet. This can be done when the kitten is four weeks old, and he will no longer be considered a newborn.The fact that the kitten is no longer considered a newborn and is ready for weaning and solid food can be understood by the fact that he will begin to bite the nipple of the bottle during feedings.
   • To wean the kitten from milk, give him some food in a bowl. If he is not ready or wants to eat it, add a few tablespoons of the mixture or water to the food to soften the food and increase interest in it. Make sure the kitten has solid food at all times so he can taste it whenever he wants. Over time, reduce the amount of milk given to the kitten and increase the amount of solid food.
   • Most kittens can be fully switched to solid food by the time they are seven weeks old.
   • A kitten between 6 and 10 weeks old should be fed six times a day, a kitten between 10 weeks and 6-7 months should be fed four times a day, and a kitten under 9 months old should be fed three times a day. Note that it is permissible for adult cats to be fed twice a day.

Part 2 of 2: Feeding your kitten

1. 1 Collect the required inventory. To feed a newborn kitten, you will need a specially designed device for this. If possible, use a kitten teat bottle, such as one from Hartz. The bottle itself is small and made of clear plastic with graduated marks for more accurate measurement of liquids. The nipple is made of special rubber and has an appropriate comfortable shape to fit in the kitten's mouth. This allows him to suck on the bottle as if he were sucking his mother.
   • If you don't have a dedicated feeding device, then another alternative is a syringe that you can use to drip milk into the kitten's mouth. However, the kitten does not have the ability to suck on a syringe, so try to find a suitable replacement as soon as possible.
2. 2 Sterilize inventory. It is critical to maintain sterile equipment. Simple washing is not enough for this. Consider using a steam sterilizer (like for baby bottles) or submerging your inventory in a bowl of cold sterilizing liquid such as Chicco.
   • Cold sterilizing liquid can usually be found in pharmacies under the baby products section. Observe the instructions on the packaging. If you decide to use such a liquid when sterilizing the kitten's feeding equipment, do not forget to rinse everything with boiled water later so that there are no residues of the sterilizing agent left on the inventory.
3. 3 Prepare and heat the mixture. If you are using a liquid mixture, open the jar and measure out the required amount of the mixture according to the instructions. When using a powder mixture, follow the directions on the packaging for the required number of measuring spoons per volume of water. Always follow the instructions carefully, as too concentrated a mixture can lead to stomach upset, while too diluted a mixture will not provide the kitten with the necessary amount of nutrients.
   • Always prepare a fresh batch of formula for each meal. The mixture does not contain preservatives, and the immune system of a newborn kitten is still weak, so the ingress of bacteria from the environment into milk can be a disaster for his health.
   • Do not put the mixture in the microwave; this can cause areas that are too hot and too cold to form in the mixture. Instead, simply place the mixture in a container and put it in hot water to warm up.
   • Check that the milk is at the correct temperature - it should not be too hot or too cold. Ideally, the mixture should be at body temperature, so when a couple of drops are applied to the back of the hand, their temperature should appear to be approximately the same as the temperature of the skin. Using a mixture that is too hot can burn the kitten's mouth.
4. 4 Check your kitten's body temperature. When you're ready to feed your kitten, make sure it's warm. To some extent, a kitten's ability to digest food depends on its body temperature. If the kitten is cool, digestion will slow down, and the mixture will linger in the stomach and ferment. Newborn kittens usually snuggle close to their mother and therefore stay warm enough. For the first three weeks of their life, a temperature of about 35.6-37.8 degrees will be considered ideal.
   • Try to keep the kitten at this temperature by placing a heating pad under a well-insulated nest that is designed for the kitten. If you do not have heating pads, use a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel to prevent the kitten from coming into direct contact with the boiling water so that it does not get burned. Refresh hot water as needed to keep the kitten warm.
5. 5 Feed the kitten. Sit in a comfortable chair with a folded towel on your lap. Position the kitten in the same way as it would feed from its mother: lay it on its stomach with its paws down and with its head slightly raised. When you first try to feed the kitten, squeeze a drop of the mixture on the tip of the nipple or syringe. Bring it very close to the kitten's mouth. The kitten has a rather sharp sense of smell and, most likely, having felt the smell of milk, he will try to kiss the nipple or syringe.
   • When using the pacifier at this stage, you should help the kitten a little by inserting it into his open mouth. Natural instincts must take their toll, and the kitten must begin to suckle.
   • When using a syringe, gently push the plunger to release a drop of milk into the kitten's mouth. Let your kitten swallow between drops. Never fill your mouth with milk completely, as the kitten can inhale the milk, it will go into the lungs, and he will develop pneumonia, which is usually fatal to kittens. Just take your time and proceed slowly.
   • The position of the kitten is very important. Never feed it upside down like a human baby, and be sure to check that the kitten is lying on its stomach while feeding. Make sure that his head is not tilted up, as this can lead to inhalation of the mixture into the lungs, which is very dangerous and can cause death of the kitten.
6. 6 Feed the kitten the correct amount of formula. Typically, kitten formulas are accompanied by instructions on the amount and frequency of feedings. Please follow these instructions. The following are only generalized instructions on the volume and frequency of feeding kittens with mixtures in the first weeks of their life. ...
   • At the age of 1-3 days, give 2.5 ml of feline milk replacer every two hours.
   • At the age of 4-7 days, give 5 ml of the mixture and organize 10-12 feedings per day.
   • At the age of 6-10 days, 5-7.5 ml of the mixture is given and 10 feedings are organized per day.
   • At the age of 11-14 days, 10-12.5 mixtures are given and kittens are fed every three hours.
   • At the age of 15-21 days, 10 ml of the mixture is given 8 times a day.
   • Over the age of 21 days, give 7.5-25 ml 3-4 times a day simultaneously with the introduction of solid food.
7. 7 Pay attention to important signs while feeding your kitten. As you learn and practice artificial feeding of a kitten, remember that improper feeding can lead to breathing problems. Make sure that no milk flows out of his nose while feeding, and that his stomach does not swell.
   • Regarding feed volumes, if your kitten is greedy enough and continues to suck on the nipple even after exceeding the recommended dose, examine his belly. If it is bloated and tight, stop feeding. This is a sign of a full stomach, the kitten just hasn't realized it yet. Don't overfeed him.
   • If your kitten eats less than the recommended dose, don't panic. This may be his personality. If you're worried that the kitten is malnourished, instead of trying to cram more mixture into it and risk choking its lungs, stop, let the kitten rest, and try feeding the kitten again after about an hour.
8. 8 Keep calm and relax. It is very important not to lose patience and stay calm when you feed your kitten so that he is also calm. Also, let the kitten eat as long as it needs to to avoid overeating or digestive problems.
   • Stimulate the burp by placing the kitten's back against its own body and stroking its belly. When caring for kittens, she licks them and thereby stimulates urination and defecation. Don't be surprised by any of the possible results - these are good signs!
9. 9 Clean the kitten's bottom. The mother cat usually licks the priests and genitals of the kittens immediately after feedings to stimulate urination and defecation. She also eats their excrement, which is a natural way to keep the nest clean, as a polluted nest can attract predators. In the absence of the mother, you need to intervene in this process. Take a damp cotton swab and wipe the kitten's anal area, imitating licking movements. As soon as the kitten goes to the toilet, wipe off the excrement with a cotton swab. Finish with an extra swab of the kitten's bottom with a clean cotton swab and you'll be free until your next feed.
   • This is an important step in successfully feeding your kitten. If you do not mimic the maternal stimulation of urination and defecation, the kitten will not normally empty the bladder and intestines, which can lead to serious illness.
10. 10 Return the kitten to its warm nest or box to rest. Continue to follow your regular daily feeding schedule for the coming weeks until weaning and proper transition to solid foods. Additionally, consult your veterinarian for an appropriate diet at the time of weaning.
    • Introduce solid foods in the form of soft canned foods and solid pellets into your diet when your kitten is about four weeks old. Some kittens choose to suck on the bottle for up to eight weeks, so the progress of the solid feed should be monitored by a professional veterinarian.

Warnings

• Weigh the kitten daily for the first two weeks. You can use a kitchen scale for this, just remember to cover it with a clean cloth. The kitten should add about 14 grams every day for the first two weeks. Keep an accurate record of the kitten's weight gain or loss during bottle feeding and contact your veterinarian if the kitten's weight begins to grow or fall too rapidly.
• It is best to leave kittens with their mother at least until they are 6 weeks old, while up to 10 weeks it will be even more humane. Breeders recommend that kittens wait 12 weeks before giving them to new owners. Orphaned kittens can have certain complications: they can become uncommunicative, have health problems, artificial feeding can leave a strong mark on their overall development and well-being.
• If the kitten refuses to eat at all, contact your veterinarian, as he may be sick.