When you bottle-fed kittens, they get milk all over their mouths. Use Munchiecat's Kitten Weight & Feeding Chart to learn how often you should feed your kitten and how much your kitten should weigh. If milk is bubbling out of their nose or coming out of their mouth, that is bad." "This is not a completely natural position. "In some cases, kittens may prefer to be fed from the side, but feed them slowly to ensure they are swallowing," Quandt says. Then flip the bottle to make the milk flow. The bottle or syringe should be under your kitten's front teeth (incisors). If you are using a kitten bottle, softly slide the nipple into your kitten's mouth. "To make sure your kitten is swallowing, put your finger gently around the front of the neck," Quandt says. If you are feeding the newborn kitten with a syringe, use your dominant hand. You should use your non-dominant hand to hold the kitten in a natural, belly-down position. Never feed them on their backs like a human baby. The correct way to feed newborn kittens is with their bellies facing down. If your kitten swallows, you can bottle-feed her. Then cover both the heating pad and the top of the bed with a towel. To ensure your kitten can swallow, place a drop of milk on her tongue and feel her throat with one finger. Is your kitten under 5 weeks old? Use a kitten incubator, or put newborn or abandoned kittens in a soft bed with a heating pad on low. If your kitten's body temperature is not between 99°-101☏ (or 37.2°-38.3☌), it is not safe to feed her. ![]() When newborn kittens are not warm enough, they cannot digest food. "Kittens cannot thermoregulate, which means they cannot maintain their own body temperature," Quandt says. The kitten milk should feel warm, but you should not flinch or say, "Wow, that is hot!" STEP 3: CHECK YOUR KITTEN'S CONDITIONīefore you bottle-feed your kitten, check her body condition and temperate. To make sure the kitten milk is not too hot, squirt a few drops on your wrist. In a pinch, use warm water and vigorously shake the kitten bottle. If there are clumps of formula in the bottle or syringe, the kitten will not get enough food," Quandt says. "If you are using a powdered kitten milk formula, make sure it is well blended. Use the manufacturer's instructions to prepare the kitten milk. This means they cannot absorb its nutrients.”Īfter opening the kitten milk replacement formula, keep it refrigerated. "Cows' milk has a lot of lactose, which kittens are typically intolerant to. "Almond, soy, and cows' milk do not have the proper nutritional requirements," Quandt says. When it comes to milk for kittens, there is nothing in your refrigerator that is safe for them to drink. These are all critical to the survival of newborn kittens. "Without colostrum, newborn kittens may actually have health problems down the road," he says. It provides water, digestive enzymes, growth factors, nutrients, and maternal immunoglobulins. If your kitten is less than 48 hours old, you will also need to buy an important immune system builder called Feline Colostrum. "It is actually a treat supplement for adult cats." You are going to need to buy a kitten milk replacement formula like KMR. STEP 2: PREPARE THE KITTEN BOTTLE OR SYRINGE It includes kitten developmental milestones from birth to 8 weeks. Not sure how old your kitten is? Check out Munchiecat's detailed kitten age guide below. When you turn it upside down, milk should slowly trickle, not pour, out of it. To bottle-feed your kitten, you will have to cut a small hole in the nipple. Unlike human baby bottles, the nipples of kitten bottles usually do not have holes. If your kitten is more than 2 weeks old, you can buy kitten bottles for nursing online or at any pet supply store. ![]() The Miracle Nipple also comes with a pad that allows newborn kittens to knead while they nurse. ![]() It has the right size opening for newborn kittens and prevents them from breathing milk into their lungs. Quandt recommends attaching a Miracle Nipple to the end of a 3-milliliter syringe. "A syringe lets you deliver food directly into your kitten's mouth." Why? "Newborn kittens have to suckle on the tip," he says. If your newborn kitten refuses to suckle, a kitten bottle will not work. "If the kittens are under 10 days old or their eyes are closed, it is better to use a syringe," Quandt says. STEP 1: GET A KITTEN NURSING BOTTLE OR SYRINGE. That is why we worked with Stephen Quandt, a fear-free certified cat behavior consultant, to put together this five-step kitten feeding guide. We also discuss weaning orphaned kittens and address common bottle-feeding problems. No matter the case, bottle-feeding kittens can be very difficult. Or maybe, you have signed up to foster abandoned kittens for your local animal shelter. Maybe, you have found a litter of newborn kittens outside.
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