What To Feed Newborn Kittens By Hand

This is available from most vets and reputable pet shops.

What to feed newborn kittens by hand. Dropper feeding is similar to spoon feeding but a little quicker and cleaner. Newborn kittens need to feed every two to three hours. Each spoonful must be gently poured into the kitten s mouth. What to feed your kittens newborn kittens need artificial milk formula specifically for kittens.

Kitten puppy milk from the supermarket is not suitable. The gruel should become less and less watery and dry kitten food should be introduced along with a bowl of water. Kmr milk replacer a commercial formula comes in both liquid and powdered varieties for hand feeding newborn kittens. Here s how to safe.

The natural composition of the milk of the mother cat changes within 72 hours after birth and starts to produce milk itself instead of colostrum. Feeding the wrong sort of milk such as cow s milk can have short term and long term effects including diarrhea dehydration nutritional deficiencies and long term health problems due to poor growth. Regular human baby bottles will likely be too big but most pet stores have newborn kitten bottles and nipples as well as a commercial formula specifically designed for kittens. If any kittens do not receive the first milk contact your vet.

Hand feeding use substitute kitten milk formulated specifically for kittens. Ask your vet for advice on which milk to provide as well as advice on hand rearing. By six weeks of age a kitten should be eating the gruel four times a day and nursing less. At the end of week six decrease meal times to only three times a day.

The kitten s head must not be elevated since newborn kittens do not have a well developed gag reflex and the lungs can easily be filled with milk. Kittens can only absorb colostrum during their first 16 to 24 hours of life and they should feed within two hours of birth. Never give cow or goat s milk as kittens find this difficult to digest. A newborn kitten can only digest milk and more specifically the milk from a female cat.

You can use tvm formula for example. The liquid is more convenient and less prone to clumping but it is less economical than powdered formula since an opened can has a very short lifespan and must be thrown out within days. The milk will be the only nutritional contribution that the newborn kittens will need until weaning. It is essential that kittens receive colostrum to protect them against disease.

If you re caring for a newborn orphan kitten syringe feeding might be a good option but you want to make sure you re doing so carefully.