How Much Milk Should a Baby Kitten Drink

By Hannah Shaw

So you're caring for a bottle-fed kitten. Possibly you've signed up to foster orphans for your local shelter, or y'all've found a babe outside and the mother has not returned for her. No matter the instance, y'all'll want to do caution and follow these six tips for safely canteen feeding kittens.

Choose the Right Kitten Formula and Bottle

Motherless neonatal kittens have sensitive systems that require a special kitten formula—not just whatsoever dairy product you accept in the fridge. Kitten formula is formulated to provide a proper remainder of vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and a caloric blueprint that mimics the content of a mother cat's milk. This product comes as a liquid or pulverisation mix, which you lot can choice upwardly at the nearest pet supply shop, feed shop, or online retailer. Never feed a kitten cow's milk, human being baby formula, milk alternatives, or at-dwelling recipes, as these tin crusade illness and decease.

While picking up your kitten formula, yous will besides want to selection up a kitten bottle and perhaps an extra gear up of safety nipples for feeding. If the nipple on your bottle does not come pre-cut, cut a minor hole in the nipple on a diagonal angle, being mindful that the pigsty is not too big or also small. This is important because it will determine the flow of the formula while the kitten is nursing. To ensure proper period, test the hole by turning the bottle upside down. The formula should slowly baste i drop at a fourth dimension if the hole is the right size. If it flowing too slowly, enlarge the hole… too quickly and you'll take to endeavour once more with a new nipple.

Prepare Your Kitten's Bottle Properly

Preparing the bottle properly volition have the fuss out of feeding and give the kitten just what she needs. Brand the formula so that it is fresh, clump-gratis, and comfortably warm. If using a powder formula, mix pulverisation thoroughly with warm water according to the instructions until it is completely smooth (a smoothie shaker may come in handy for this) to avert clumps that tin can clog upwards the bottle. If using a liquid formula, gently warm it by placing the bottle in a cup with hot water for 30 to 60 seconds, and shaking the bottle to gently and evenly warm the contents.

Before feeding, test the temperature on the within of your wrist and ensure that information technology is comfortably warm. Refrigerate unused powder and mix a new batch at each feeding to continue everything fresh.

Feed Kittens Using a Safe Posture

Always bottle feed in a natural, abdomen-down posture—the kitten should be comfortably lying or seated with her belly toward the floor. Never feed a kitten on her dorsum, like a human baby would eat, as this can crusade the kitten to inhale fluid into the lungs.

Sit down the kitten in your lap or on a table, holding the head steady with your non-ascendant hand, and introduce the nipple to her mouth with your dominant hand. Invert the bottle so that the formula can slowly flow into the kitten's mouth. Ideally, the kitten volition brand a u-shape with her tongue and latch to the bottle, suckling to drink the formula. Place a finger on her throat to ensure that she is swallowing as she eats. Never forcefully squeeze a canteen into a kitten'southward mouth. Instead, allow the kitten suckle at her ain footstep.

Feed Your Kitten the Right Amount, With the Right Frequency

Young kittens require frequent feeding, so exist prepared to care for them around-the-clock until they are 5 to vi weeks of age and weaning onto wet food. For the first few weeks of life, this will mean waking upward in the middle of the night to feed. Small amounts of food every few hours volition keep the kitten hydrated and provide the nutrients and fat needed for rapid development and weight proceeds.

Use the following nautical chart as a kitten feeding guide:

Age	Weight	Amount per feeding	Feeding schedule
0-one week	50-150 grams	2-six ml	Every 2 hours
1-2 weeks	150-250 grams	6-ten ml	Every 2-3 hours
2-3 weeks	250-350 grams	10-14 ml	Every three-4 hours
three-4 weeks	350-450 grams	14-18 ml	Every iv-5 hours
iv-5 weeks	450-550 grams	xviii-22 ml	Every v-6 hours
5-8 weeks	550-850 grams	(weaning; offer ample moisture nutrient)	Every 6 hours

This chart is just a guide—non a rule book. Some kittens volition vary in weight and development, then use your best judgment, or speak with a veterinarian, while keeping this guide in heed equally a helpful baseline.

Monitor the Kitten'southward Progress

Keeping track of a kitten's weight is a great way to monitor her progress and ensure that she is making the necessary gains. A pocket-sized digital food scale is perfect for weighing kittens, equally it tin brandish their weight in grams and give you a precise measurement. At least once a day, place the kitten on the calibration and write down her weight in grams. She should gain at least 10 grams per day. If the kitten is non gaining weight or if she loses weight, seek firsthand veterinary back up.

Care After Kitten Feeding

Caring for orphan kittens requires more than than merely bottle feeding. You will besides exist tasked with stimulating the kitten to get to the bathroom, tending to her medical needs, keeping her warm and clean, and otherwise providing her with a safe and secure environment until she is old enough for adoption.

Later on feeding, wipe downwards the kitten'southward face and so that no formula is sticking to her fur. Gently rub the kitten'southward genitals with a soft tissue to stimulate her to urinate and defecate. Do this at each feeding, being mindful to wipe upward afterward then that she stays make clean and comfortable. One time the kitten has been fed, stimulated, and cleaned up, it's time for her to become dorsum into her warm, safe space until the next feeding. Echo until the kitten is 5 to 6 weeks former and weaning onto wet kitten nutrient.

To acquire more about how to provide well-rounded treat an orphan kitten, download a PDF on kitten intendance here.

Hannah Shaw is an expert on neonatal kittens and is founder of the rescue and advocacy project Kitten Lady. You can find more kitten-care resources on the Kitten Lady website .

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Source: https://www.petmd.com/cat/care/6-tips-safely-bottle-feeding-kittens

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