Ideally, kittens should be near and suckle from their mother for up to eight weeks before being separated or adopted. There are times when humans have to intervene, for example when rescuing a kitten, a mother cat dies, or a mother cat rejects her kittens. There are many things to consider if you have to feed a kitten. With careful consideration and preparation, you will feel calm and comfortable when bottle feeding your kitten. Your pet will grow up healthy and happy.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Preparing to Feed the Newborn Kitten
Step 1. Find a host cat
Consult a veterinarian and visit your local cat shelter to find a foster mother who can nurse kittens. Milk from its mother is the best choice for baby animals. Before trying to bottle-feed your baby, it's a good idea to find a foster mother who can take the place of a dead or rejecting kitten.
- Beware! Even if you find a mother who is willing to breastfeed, she doesn't necessarily want to accept a kitten. Always be on the lookout for an adult cat interacting with your kitten; there is a risk that he will try to kill the kitten he rejected.
- If you are lucky enough to find a foster mother, try to disguise the smell of the new kitten. Wipe the kitten's fur from the mother cat, then run your hands over your kitten's body. This method can transfer the smell of the mother cat's birth kitten to your kitten. An adult cat (mother cat) is much more likely to reject a kitten with an unfamiliar odor. By "disguising" your kitten's smell, it will increase its chances of acceptance.
Step 2. Prepare the milk
Newborn kittens can only digest milk from female cats. Giving him the wrong type of milk, such as cow's milk, can have both short and long term effects (such as diarrhea, dehydration, nutritional deficiencies) and long term health problems due to poor growth. You can buy kitten milk replacement (KMR) formula at your local pet food store, vet clinic, or even online. There are Growssy and Max Kitt Milk in Indonesia, but you can also ask your vet for a brand recommendation for kitten milk.
- Milk replacement for kittens is sold in cans, and comes in dry powder or liquid form. As with making baby milk, you will need to follow the instructions on the package to determine how many spoonfuls of milk and water to add.
- Be aware that milk sold in cardboard packaging and labeled "cat milk" is not suitable for your kitten. It is lactose-free cow's milk, and is designed so that it can be consumed by adult cats (more to fulfill our desire to provide milk for cats, rather than meet the physiological needs of cats themselves). This milk is not suitable for kittens.
Step 3. Set up a backup plan in case you can't get a milk replacement right away
The ideal milk to use is milk from a female cat. If you don't have one, use boiled water to feed the kitten, and buy a milk substitute immediately. If your kitten seems very hungry, you can add a teaspoon of powdered glucose to a cup of boiled water. However, you can only give this one time. Don't repeat it.
- Another option to fill a kitten's empty stomach until you get a replacement milk is rice boiled water (tajin), which is the water in the rice you cook. Boil rice with water, and strain the liquid. This liquid contains few carbohydrates (energy) and does not stimulate the kitten to defecate, and can be a temporary solution.
- Giving water during a void will prevent the kitten from becoming dehydrated, and is better than giving something (like cow's milk) that will make the kitten's stomach and body sore.
Step 4. Plan your time
The younger the kitten, the faster its metabolism, so the more often it needs to be fed (because of its small stomach). This means that you, or anyone else in the house, or a friend, or a neighbor, will need to be with the kitten throughout the day until it is old enough to start switching to solid food.
Newborn kittens, or technically kittens less than two weeks old, should be monitored for food day and night until they are old enough to transition to solid food
Step 5. Know that you can wean a motherless kitten early
Weaning means stopping the kitten's milk and introducing solid foods slowly. You can wean at four weeks of age, when your kitten is no longer a newborn kitten. You can tell when your kitten is no longer a newborn kitten and is ready to switch to solid food when she starts nibbling on the nipple of her bottle.
- To wean a kitten off milk, place a small amount of food in its bowl. If he doesn't seem ready or willing to eat it, you can add a few tablespoons of replacement formula or water to soften the food and make it more attractive. Place solid food near the kitten, so he can approach it when he feels ready and wants to eat. Over time, reduce the amount of milk you offer, as you increase the amount of solids.
- Most kittens can digest solid food by seven weeks of age.
- Kittens between 6 and 10 weeks of age should be fed six to eight times a day. Kittens aged 10 weeks to 6 or 7 months need four meals a day. Kittens up to 9 months old need three meals a day. For the record, new cats can be fed twice a day after adulthood.
Part 2 of 2: Feeding the Kitten
Step 1. Prepare the equipment
To feed a newborn kitten, you will need some feeding utensils. If possible, use special bottles and teats for kittens, such as Ferplast bottles and teats. The bottle itself is very small and has an opening at the top, so you can insert your thumb to control the flow of milk if it flows too fast from the nipple and overwhelms the kitten. The teat is long and thin, so it fits perfectly into the mouth of a newborn kitten. This pacifier allows the kitten to suck, just like from its mother.
If cat feeding utensils are not available, the second best option is a syringe or pipette. You can use it to drip milk into the kitten's mouth. However, kittens can't suck from a syringe, so try to get cat bottles and teats as soon as possible
Step 2. Sterilize the equipment
It is important to keep all of your kitten's eating utensils sterile. Just washing everything is not enough. You can purchase a steam sterilizer (such as the one used for baby bottles) or immerse your cat's utensils in Milton's sterilizing solution in a bowl.
You can buy Milton's sterilizing solution from the pharmacy, which can usually be found on baby supply shelves. Follow the directions on the packaging. If you choose to sterilize your cat's utensils with Milton's liquid, rinse everything with boiling water first to remove any residual sterilizing solution
Step 3. Make and warm the milk
If you are using liquid formula, open the can and measure out the amount of milk according to the instructions on the package. If you are using powdered formula, follow the instructions on the package to find out how many spoonfuls of milk and water to add. Always follow the instructions properly, as too concentrated milk can cause a kitten's stomach to hurt, while too runny milk has too low a nutritional value.
- Always prepare the right milk every time you give it. Milk does not contain preservatives, so it does not last long. In addition, newborn kittens have a weak immune system, so bacterial contamination in milk puts your kitten's health at risk.
- Do not put kitten formula in the microwave. There will be very hot or very cold bubbles in the bottle. Instead, put the formula in a container, and put the container in hot water.
- Make sure the milk is at the right temperature -- not too cold or too hot. Ideally, the temperature of milk is the same as body temperature. If you put it on the back of your hand, it will feel the same temperature as your skin. If it's too hot, the milk can hurt your kitten's mouth.
Step 4. Check your kitten's temperature
When you are ready to feed her, make sure the kitten is warm. To some extent, a kitten's digestive rate depends on its body temperature. If the body temperature is cold, digestion will take place slowly, and the milk will ferment in the stomach. Newborn kittens usually lie close to their mother, and tend to be warm. The ideal temperature for a kitten's first three weeks is 35.5 - 37.7 degrees Celsius.
Keep the kitten's temperature within that temperature range with a heating pad under a closed nest. If a heating pad is not available, use a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel to prevent the kitten from touching the bottle directly and causing burns. Change the hot water in the bottle as often as necessary to keep it warm
Step 5. Feed the kitten milk
Sit in a comfortable chair with a folded towel in your lap. Lay the kitten in the same way it would feed directly from its mother: head held high, legs down, belly propped up. When trying to give your kitten milk for the first time, drip the milk from the tip of the pacifier or syringe. Push the milk drops near the kitten's mouth. His sense of smell is strong, and he is most likely able to smell the milk and direct his mouth towards it.
- If you are using a pacifier, at this point, your kitten will need help getting the pacifier into its mouth. Next, his natural instincts will take over, and he will start sucking.
- If you're using a syringe, gently press on the suction to dispense a drop of milk into his mouth. Let him swallow between each drop of milk. Never fill his mouth with milk. Too much milk can enter the respiratory tract, enter the lungs, and cause pneumonia. Do it slowly, there is no need to rush.
- The kitten's posture is very important here. Never give a kitten milk like a human baby, and always make sure that the cat continues to lean on it during feedings. Make sure not to lift his head, as this could suck the milk into his lungs, making him seriously ill or dead.
Step 6. Give the right amount of milk
Cimicat and other milk substitutes come with a guide on how much and how often to feed the bottle. The following are some general guidelines on how much and how often to give your kitten milk during the first few weeks of her life:
- One to three days: 2.5 ml of milk every two hours
- Four to seven days: 5 ml of milk 10 - 12 times a day
- Six to 10 days: 5 to 7.5 ml of milk 10 times a day
- 11 to 14 days: 10 to 12.5 ml milk every three hours
- 15 to 21 days: 10 ml of milk eight times a day
- 21 days onwards: 7.5 to 25 ml, three to four times daily, in addition to introducing solid foods.
Step 7. Watch for signs
When learning how to and practicing bottle-feeding a kitten, keep in mind that overfeeding or feeding it in an inappropriate way can cause problems with its respiratory tract. Observe the kitten as you feed it to make sure no milk gets into its nose and its stomach doesn't feel distended.
- In terms of numbers, if your kitten is voracious, and he continues to suck even after exceeding the recommended amount, pay close attention to his tummy. If her stomach is tight and bloated, stop feeding her. This is a sign that his stomach is full, but he hasn't realized it yet. Don't give too much milk.
- If your kitten is drinking less milk than the recommended amount, don't panic. Maybe your kitten prefers to drink less. If you're worried your kitten isn't drinking enough milk, instead of forcing him and risking putting milk into his lungs, stop, let him rest, and try again in about an hour.
Step 8. Stay calm and relaxed
Being patient and staying calm while bottle feeding your kitten is important to keep him calm. Also, allow the cat to drink slowly to prevent satiation or digestive problems.
Encourage and stimulate burping by leaning the kitten's back against you and gently rubbing its belly. In a mother-kitten relationship, the mother cat will rub the kitten to help it expel wind and dirt. Don't be afraid when you see both -- it's a good sign
Step 9. Clean your cat's bottom
Immediately after each feeding, the mother will lick the kitten's anus and genitals to stimulate her to urinate and defecate. The mother cat will usually hold the litter of the kittens in her lap, to keep their nests from getting dirty and attracting predators. However, in the absence of a mother, you will have to help the kitten. Use a damp cotton cloth and rub it into the anus in a licking motion. Finish with a clean cotton rag to clean her bottom. Complete your task until the next feeding time.
This is an important step in the success of feeding your kitten milk. If you don't imitate the mother cat's stimulation of the kitten's excrement process, the bladder and colon will not empty. The kitten will be sick
Step 10. Return the kitten to its warm bed or box to rest
Continue to feed your kitten regular milk every day for the next few weeks, until she can be weaned to switch to solid food. At that point, talk to your veterinarian to find out what foods are suitable for your kitten.
Add solid foods such as canned soft foods and solids to her diet when the kitten is about four weeks old. Some kittens should be bottle fed for up to eight weeks, and this development should be communicated to the veterinarian
Warning
- Weigh your kitten daily for the first two weeks. You can use a food scale as long as it is covered with a clean rag or cloth. Kittens should gain about 14 grams of weight each day for the first two weeks. Keep a good record of your kitten's weight loss or gain during feedings, and consult your veterinarian if your kitten is gaining or losing weight too quickly.
- The best option is to leave the kitten with its mother until at least 6 weeks old, although 8 - 10 weeks would be better. Cat breeders recommend waiting until the kitten is 12 weeks old before looking for a new place to live. There are several problems that can arise if a kitten is separated too early from its mother, such as difficulty getting along, health problems, and growth disorders.
- Consult a veterinarian if your kitten refuses to eat or drink milk at all, as this could be a sign of an illness.
