How to Feed a Pre-Weaned Kitten

Kittens up to 4 weeks old need bottle feeding to obtain the proper nutrients.

Between the ages of 4 and 10 weeks old, a kitten transitions from exclusively feeding on its mother's milk to eating solid foods through a process known as weaning. Prior to this age, if the mother will not nurse the kitten or has abandoned it, you need to bottle feed the kitten with formula. A young kitten requires bottle feedings every two to three hours with powdered or canned kitten milk replacement formula. Each feeding lasts 10 to 20 minutes, so plan your days and nights accordingly.

Things You'll Need

• Needle
• Kitten-feeding bottles
• Kitten-feeding nipples
• Pot
• Paper towels
• Kitten milk replacement formula
• Whisk
• Bowl
• Thermometer
• Towel
• Washcloth

Instructions

1. Poke two holes in the kitten nursing bottle nipple with a needle. Attach it to the nursing bottle and fill it with water to test the holes. Make the holes big enough so that a small amount of liquid comes out of the bottle when you squeeze or invert it. Empty the water out of the bottle.

2. Sterilize the kitten feeding bottle and nipple by boiling them, submerged, in a pot of water for 10 minutes. Place the bottle and nipple on a paper towel to dry and cool completely.

3. Mix the kitten milk replacement formula by following the directions on the label. If using powdered formula, boil the water first and allow it to cool before combining with the powder, usually in two parts water to one part powder. Use a whisk to mix powdered formula, to eliminate lumps.

4. Fill the bottle with the formula. Place it in a bowl filled with hot water to warm it. Test the formula against your wrist or with a sterilized thermometer. The liquid should feel warm, not hot, to the touch, and should be 95 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Sit down and drape a soft towel over your lap. Place the kitten on your lap, over the towel, with its stomach and head facing down. Put the nipple into the side of the kitten's mouth, then slip it around to the front of its mouth. Hold the bottle with the nipple facing down toward the tongue, not the roof of the mouth. Squeeze a drop of formula onto the kitten's tongue to get it to suckle.

6. Allow the kitten to suckle the formula until it wants to stop. Let the kitten drink the formula on its own; do not squeeze formula into the kitten's mouth (past the first one to two drops), as this can cause the liquid to enter the kitten's lungs and drown it. A kitten needs about 30 ml of formula for every 4 ounces of weight daily, according to Permes CFA Cattery of Excellence. Divide this amount over nine to 12 feedings each day.

7. Burp the kitten by placing it upright against your shoulder, stomach toward you. Pat and rub its back until it releases any trapped air in its stomach. Wipe the kitten with a damp washcloth to clean away any food residue.

Tips & Warnings

• Before and after feeding, keep the kitten in a warm nesting box with some blankets wrapped around a hot water bottle for warmth.

• For a kitten up to 3 weeks old, help it eliminate after each meal by wiping its anal area with a damp paper towel.

• Begin weaning at 4 weeks old, mixing formula with canned kitten food to form a slurry in a dish. Continue to bottle feed during the first few weeks of weaning, substituting half of your kitten's feedings with the slurry in a dish.

• Wash bottles after feedings with a bottle brush and sterilize before use by boiling the bottle and nipple.

• If you find an abandoned kitten, always warm it with body heat before feeding, because feeding a chilled kitten can be dangerous to it, according to the New York City Feral Cat Initiative.

• Do not feed cow milk to a kitten as it cannot tolerate it and it will cause diarrhea.

• Do not microwave kitten formula to warm it.

• If your kitten does not eat for more than 12 hours, take it to a veterinarian, as it may require tube feeding.

References

• PetPlace.com; Wanted: Loving Foster Parents; Alex Lieber
• American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals: Newborn Kitten Care
• Permes CFA Cattery of Excellence: Bottle Feeding Orphaned Kittens
• New York City Feral Cat Initiative: Bottle-Feeding & Care of Orphaned Kittens
• Vetinfo: Newborn Kitten Bottle Feeding
• Apple Hill Animal Hospital: Kitten care