How to Feed Orphaned Kittens

Feeding orphaned kittens takes time and dedication. Do the following to ensure proper nutrition.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Feline Nursing Bottles
• Baby Bottle Nipples
• Baby Bottles
• Blankets For Pets
• Formula For Kittens
• Cotton Swabs
• Scales
• Cotton Swabs

1. Use a bottle and nipple made for nursing kittens or a human preemie nipple bottle (a nipple for premature infants).

2. Use commercially prepared formulas for feeding orphaned kittens. Avoid using goat's milk.

3. Measure out the appropriate amount of milk for the kitten for one day: A 1-week-old kitten needs 13mL of milk per 100g of body weight, a 2-week-old needs 17mL milk per 100g body weight, a 3-week-old needs 20mL milk per 100g body weight, a 4-week-old needs 22mL milk per 100g body weight.

4. Divide the above daily dosage by 4, and feed this dosage to the kitten four times a day.

5. Warm the milk.

6. Invert the bottle to let the milk ooze out slowly before inserting into the kitten's mouth.

7. Avoid feeding the kitten while he's on his back. It's acceptable for the kitten to slightly elevate his front paws.

8. Check that the kitten's abdomen is enlarged but not overextended after feeding. Kittens should gain 50 to 100 g per week.

9. Encourage a 3-week-old kitten to eat solid food.

Tips & Warnings

• Kittens generally just eat and sleep for the first several weeks. If crying excessively, they could be cold or hungry or both.
• Orphaned kittens need to be stimulated to defecate. Soak a cotton ball in warm water and very gently rub the anal area.
• Never squeeze milk out of the bottle while the nipple is still in the kitten's mouth. This could result in aspiration pneumonia and death.

on 9/8/2006 To keep the kittens from becoming constipated, add some canned pumpkin to their bottled "milk". Use plain pumpkin, not canned pumpkin pie mix (which has ingredients other than just plain pumpkin).

The ratio I used is:
2 parts powdered KMR
3 parts water
1 part pumpkin

The kittens love it!

Always spay/neuter your pet please. Although kittens are cute, there are too many of them and not enough homes.

on 6/30/2006 When a kitten won't stop meowing or is scared, gently sit with the kitten on your lap and (very slowly) rock it back and forth, however not as forceful as a human baby. This calms them down and can even get them to sleep.

on 6/30/2006 Have two warm towels waiting beside sink. Fill a disposable food container with warm milk. Place the container of milk in a sink with an 1 1/2" of warm water. First soak kitten up to neck in container of milk for about 30-60 seconds. Then dump container of milk into water in sink and bathe them. Rinse them thouroughly with warm clean water. Towel dry first with one towel, then the other to keep kitten warm.

on 11/22/2005 If you find that stimulating your kitten leaves his/her anus sore or tender, try mineral oil instead of water. It helped my kitty Tabitha a lot!

on 11/22/2005 For a kitten that will not drink formula (be it from a dropper or a nipple/bottle) and is around 2-3 weeks old, try this. Mix up some kitten formula cat food from the can (about 2 tablespoons) with some kitten formula. Mix it so it looks like a pancake batter. Pour onto a dinner plate. Put the kitten ON the dinner plate. She'll try to get off, but put her back on the plate. She will get enough food on her (her paws, belly, etc.) that when she cleans herself, she's getting nutrition. Do this often. Initially every 2 hours or so. After a few days she'll get the hang of it and actually eat FROM the plate and won't have to be put IN the plate.

God bless all of you who have taken in all these homeless kittens!