What to feed wild baby kittens

You Found a Stray Kitten — Here's What to Do

Do you know what to do if you find a stray kitten? And how do you determine if the kitten is in fact a stray in the first place?

So, you found a stray kitten … but the next step isn’t simply taking him home with you. What do you feed a stray kitten? Where should you take stray kittens if you can’t care for them yourself? And how do you determine if the kitties are in fact strays in the first place?

So … you’ve found a stray kitten or kittens? Here’s what to do next. Photography by Sun_apple/Thinkstock.

Investigate — does the stray kitten have a mother?

Helping orphaned kittens will first require some detective work. One of the biggest mistakes people make when finding stray kittens is taking them away from their mother. Neonatal kittens are still nursing and need to be fed frequently, so they should be kept with their mother, if possible.

Here’s how to assess the situation:

Are the kittens sleeping comfortably? The mother is probably coming back.
When you recheck on them, are any of them missing? The mother is moving them.
If they’re often found sleeping, then the mother is caring for them.
To be absolutely sure, sprinkle some flour around where the kittens are located and look for paw prints upon your return. If the mother is in the picture, let them be. In approximately eight weeks, go back and TNR (trap/neuter/return) the whole family.

What to do if the stray kitten does not have a mother

If you have determined the stray kitten (or kittens!) does not have a mother, his greatest chance for survival begins with you. The first thing you’ll need to do is capture the stray kitten. For some kittens, this is as easy as reaching out and scooping them up. For others, you may need to contact a local animal society or shelter to obtain the humane traps often used in TNR. Simply place the trap out with some food inside, and wait nearby. The kitten should wander in and trigger the trap to close its door. Kittens do not get hurt in the process!

Next, get the stray kitten to a veterinarian for a checkup ASAP. If the vet’s office is closed, you’ll have to start his care right away. Even if you can’t foster a stray kitten long term, you’ll be a lifeline during this first phase of rescue.

If you cannot foster the stray kitten for any amount of time, find a no-kill animal shelter. The No Kill Network has a list of organizations by state, and Adopt-A-Pet lists cat rescues.

Containing and monitoring the formerly stray kitten is key to his health and well-being. A dog crate is perfect. To keep him toasty, place a covered heating pad in his crate and keep the room temperature at 75 degrees. The heating pad should cover only half the crate so he can get away from it. Watch for panting — you don’t want him to get overheated either. A cold or limp kitten indicates a medical emergency.

Feeding schedule for kittens by weight and age

Very young kittens must be bottle fed. Photography ©Dobroslav Hadzhiev | iStock / Getty Images Plus.

Determining the age of the stray kitten right away is imperative. His age will mandate what he’ll eat as well as how much and how often.

Using a postal scale, here’s a quick guide:

Under 1 week old: kitten weighs less than 4 ounces. Feed formula: every two to three hours.
7 to 10 days old: kitten weighs 4 to 6 ounces. Feed formula: every two to three hours.
10 to 14 days old: kitten weighs 6 to 8 ounces. Feed formula: every three hours.
14 to 21 days old: kitten weighs 8 to 12 ounces. Feed formula: every four hours.
4 to 5 weeks old: kitten weighs 12 ounces to 1 pound. Feed mix of gruel/formula/kitten kibble: every four hours.
6 to 7 weeks old: kitten weighs 1 pound to 1 pound and 8 ounces. Feed mix of kitten kibble and wet food four times a day.
8 weeks old: kitten weighs one and a half to 2 pounds. Fully weaned.

Pro tips for proper kitten care

Kitties start weaning at a month old. Until then, he’ll need to be bottle-fed kitten formula. In a pinch, you can use goat milk but only for a short time.

Pet supply stores and many grocery stores will have all you’ll need:

Kitten formula
Bottles
Rubber nipples
Cleaning supplies

Only bottle-feed the kitten with his belly touching the table (never while on his back). Experts recommend letting the kitten eat the warmed-up formula until he’s full. It usually takes less than 15 minutes.

Kittens will need help eliminating urine and feces until they are approximately a month old. After each feeding, use a warm, damp washcloth to gently rub his anus until he goes. You can introduce a litter box filled with non-clumping litter at 3 weeks old.

Find a home for the stray kitten

At 8 weeks old, the kitten is ready to be spayed or neutered and placed into a loving home. There are many ways to find the stray kitten a home — check out bestfriends.org for a guide of best practices. Unless, of course, he or she is already home. Kittens are, after all, irresistible!

Thumbnail: Photography ©ConstantinCornel | Thinkstock.

This article was originally published in 2017.

What to Feed a Stray Kitten Based On Age

Adopting a stray kitten is just as challenging as having a baby. You will also have to feed the little furball correctly for its proper growth and development. Knowing what to feed a stray kitten is of utmost importance to make sure that it will grow up to be a happy and healthy feline even without its mommy cat.

Stray kittens three weeks of age and below should be fed nothing but kitten milk replacer. Stray kittens that are four to five weeks old, on the other hand, maybe fed both kitten milk replacer and wet cat food. Stray kittens six weeks of age and older may be fed either wet or dry cat food or both.

It only takes nine to 12 months for stray kittens to become fully grown cats. The good news is that you don’t have to wait for a really long time before you could feed a stray baby cat wet or dry cat food and even some human food.

When kittens reach four to five weeks of age, you may pair kitten milk replacer with wet cat food.

The following week, you may stop giving them kitten milk replacer completely and make both wet and dry cat food their staple diet. As a matter of fact, stray kittens that are fully weaned may be given certain types of human food.

Continue reading to know more about what to feed a stray kitten and other related important matters.

Foods Safe for Stray Kittens to Eat

Especially during the first few weeks of their lives, it’s important to mind which foods make it past the tiny mouths of stray kittens. Giving them the wrong types of food can keep them from being properly nourished, and thus prevent them from growing and developing correctly and healthily. It may cause them unnecessary digestive upset, too.

Below, you will come across some of the things that you may give a stray kitten.

Milk

First things first: never give a stray kitten cow’s milk. Its digestive system cannot process lactose, a type of sugar found in milk.

Image credit: Canva

Cow’s milk can make a stray kitten sick and have diarrhea, too, which can cause dehydration. Give the baby cat what’s called kitten milk replacer available at veterinary clinics and pet food and supplies stores.

When it comes to giving kitten milk replacer to a stray kitten, remember two things. First, ensure that the stray kitten’s temperature is not too low. Second, feed the stray kitten on its stomach, not on its back like a baby.

Meat

Adult cats can eat raw meat without any trouble. That’s because their fully developed immune systems can deal with the bacteria present in uncooked meat. On the other hand, kittens should be given cooked meat only.

Cooked beef, pork, lamb, chicken and turkey allows a stray kitten to get lots of protein and other important nutrients such as zinc, iron, phosphorus and B vitamins.

Just make sure that you avoid giving a stray kitten fatty and greasy meat. It’s also a no-no to offer it processed meat products like bacon, sausage and hot dogs.

Eggs

Besides meat, a stray kitten can also have eggs.

And just like meat, eggs that you offer to the baby cat should be cooked for the very same reason — to protect it from bacteria present in uncooked eggs. Because a stray kitten has a weak immune system and a frail body, it should be offered nothing but cooked eggs.

While nutritious, sadly, eggs do not offer kittens the full range of nutrients they need. Due to this, it’s a good idea to offer a stray kitten cooked eggs occasionally only.

Fish

Tuna, salmon, mackerel, trout, herring — these types of fish are some of the absolute favorites of kittens and adult cats, too.

Alas, some people do not have easy access to fresh fish. If you are one of them, feel free to give a stray kitten canned fish. However, opt for water-packed and low-sodium canned fish to keep their health out of harm’s way.

Speaking of canned food products, canned seafood items exclusive for felines are available.

The website Chewy offers some of the best options, such as flaked tuna, ocean fish, salmon, and fish and shrimps.

Whole grains

In humans, it’s no secret that whole grains are some of the healthiest foods.

That’s because they are loaded with fiber and good amounts of copper, magnesium, zinc, iron and B vitamins. Kittens, stray or otherwise, can benefit a lot from consuming whole grains, too, and leading the list are oatmeal and brown rice.

Just make sure that you cook whole grains very well before feeding them to a stray kitten. Otherwise, it might end up with an achy tummy because raw whole grains are not the easiest for the feline stomach to digest.

Bread

Especially if you just welcomed a stray kitten into your home that’s old enough to eat solid food, but you have yet to head to the nearest pet food and supplies store, give it a small amount of bread.

Image credit: Canva

While bread can be filling, unfortunately, it doesn’t offer kittens and even adult cats many of the nutrients they need.

Due to this, refrain from making bread a significant part of a stray kitten’s diet. And also, when giving a purring little kitty cat bread, check that it’s not covered in jams or spreads, many of which contain high amounts of sugar.

Carrots

It’s no secret that carrots are good for your eyes, thanks to the loads of beta carotene in them. Well, it’s for the same reason why kittens can also benefit a lot from snacking on carrots.

Besides promoting a sharper vision, which felines require for hunting, carrots also help strengthen the immune system and optimize the gut health of little cats.

When offering carrots to a stray kitten, it’s a good idea to boil it first. Raw carrots are a choking hazard, which is why they are a complete no-no for human babies.

Pumpkin

Just like carrots, pumpkins are good for eye, immune and gut health. It’s due to this why it’s a wonderful idea to feed a stray kitten pumpkins occasionally. And similar to carrots, you should boil it beforehand.

Worry not because there is a way to avoid peeling, slicing, boiling and draining pumpkins just to keep a stray kitten full and nourished.

It’s none other than giving it canned pumpkin puree — the same one used for making pumpkin soup and pumpkin pie. However, ensure that the pumpkin puree is 100% natural and isn’t spiced, too.

Spinach

Many cat owners believe that cats eat grass to deal with an upset stomach by inducing vomiting.

However, based on a survey, more than 90% of respondents said that their cats didn’t throw up after eating grass and that their pets didn’t seem to be sick before munching on some grass.

Since cats love eating grass, a stray kitten will surely fancy eating spinach. You can offer it raw or cooked spinach. However, avoid feeding a stray cat cooked spinach with seasonings or sauces.

Yogurt

We made it clear earlier that stray kittens (and kittens in general) should not be given cow’s milk because of its lactose content.

While yogurt is from milk, it doesn’t contain as much lactose — a cup of cow’s milk has 12 grams of lactose, while a cup of yogurt has less than four grams of lactose only.

It’s because of this why you may try offering a stray kitten yogurt. However, it’s a good idea to observe whether or not it’s going to end up with diarrhea. If the animal suffers from diarrhea, switch it to lactose-free yogurt.

Kittens of different ages can eat different foods. Needless to say, it’s a must that you feed a stray kitten food appropriate for its age to keep it from having digestive system-related issues.

So, before you offer it anything, you should determine how old it is. Later we will talk about telling a stray kitten’s age — don’t stop reading now.

Here’s a table indicating what to feed a stray kitten (and how often) according to age:

KITTEN AGE	WHAT TO FEED	FEEDING FREQUENCY
One week	Kitten milk replacer	Every two to three hours
Two weeks	Kitten milk replacer	Every four to six hours
Three weeks	Kitten milk replacer	Every four to six hours
Four weeks	Kitten milk replacer and wet food	Two to three times a day
Five weeks	Kitten milk replacer and wet food	Two to three times a day
Six weeks	Wet and dry food	Two to three times a day
Seven weeks	Wet and dry food	Two to three times a day
Eight weeks	Wet and dry food	Two to three times a day

Stray cat feeding schedule

How to Tell the Kitten’s Age

Earlier, it was mentioned that giving stray kittens the wrong types of food can have an unfavorable impact on their digestive system and growth and development, too. This is why you should feed a stray kitten food ideal for its age.

The good news is that there is no need for you to be a veterinarian or have been there since the mommy cat gave birth to its litter.

It’s because you can tell a kitten’s age just by having a keen eye and knowing which age-revealing signs to look for. By observing the little kitty cat, you can have an idea of how old it is and, ultimately, what to feed it.

Without further ado, here’s how kittens look according to their age:

Newborn

A telltale sign that kittens are less than a week old is that their eyes are completely closed. It’s not just their eyes that are closed but also their ear canals — it’s only when kittens are three weeks old when their ear canals will fully open.

Besides having closed ear canals, newborn kittens will also have ears that are folded against their heads.

Kittens below one week old, needless to say, can neither see nor hear.

Breast milk is the only nourishment that newborn kittens can have, especially because they have no teeth.

And by the way, if you check the belly of baby cats and you spot an umbilical cord stump, it means that they were born just a couple of days ago — the umbilical cord stump will usually fall off around four to five days of age.

One week old

The eyes of kittens will open at about one week of age. However, they will not open completely — the peepers of week-old kittens are squinty.

Looking at their eyes, you will see that they are blue. Refrain from assuming that the kittens will grow up to be blue-eyed cats. It’s just that all very young kittens have bright blue eyes.

Refrain from attempting to pry open the half-open peepers of one-week-old kittens. Allow them to open fully on their own, which will happen at two weeks of age.

By the way, their eyes will still be unfocused.

During the first week of life, the ears of kittens will begin to unfold. Their ear canals will slightly open, too, like their eyes. It’s also at this age when baby cats will start to crawl.

Two weeks old

At two weeks old, there are three things about kittens that you will surely notice.

Image credit: Canva

First, their ear canals will be more open.

Second, their ears will pop out — kittens that are just a couple of weeks old will have small and rounded ears, pretty much like the ears of baby bears.

Lastly, their eyes will be fully open.

Despite being completely open, the eyes of kittens will still be blue. Their pupils won’t be able to dilate, too.

Kittens at two weeks old will be better at crawling, although they will still be wobbly when attempting to move from point A to point B. Baby cats at this age will also love snuggling with each other.

Three weeks old

When kittens are three weeks old, their ears will be fully functioning, as evidenced by their totally open ear canal.

It’s also for this reason why baby cats at this age will get startled by loud noises. Also, their ears will appear more like the ears of kittens instead of the ears of cubs.

Another milestone when kittens reach three weeks of age is that their incisors (teeth in the front center of the mouth) will emerge. Kittens have a total of 12 incisors — six incisors above and six incisors below.

Three-week-old kittens will walk so much better.

It’s also during this time when kittens will develop the so-called righting reflex, which means that kittens will be able to orient themselves properly as they fall in order for them to land on their feet. However, please refrain from putting to the test a kitten’s righting reflex.

Four weeks old

During their fourth week of life, the canines (fangs) of kittens will emerge — all four of them. While canines are for tearing food, four-week-old baby cats will still rely on their mother cat’s milk for nourishment.

It’s also when kittens are four weeks old that their vision will become sharper.

Regarding motion, kittens at four weeks of age will walk with lots of confidence.

Because of this, all members of the litter will also play with one another, albeit in an extremely clumsy (and adorable!) manner. By the way, they will also start to attempt to groom themselves instead of leaving the job to their mom.

Five weeks old

Kittens at five weeks of age will have their premolars or bicuspids emerge, which means that they can have the breast milk of their mom and solid food at the same time.

Because five-week-old kittens will be a lot more confident with their ability to walk, they will explore their surroundings more. Also, they will be at that age when they tend to observe their mom and learn basic life skills from it.

While their fully opened eyes will still appear blue, the ears of kittens will appear bigger and more pointed at the fifth week of life.

It’s also during this age when they will be able to retract and extend their claws, which means that little cats will be capable of learning basic hunting skills anytime soon.

Six weeks old

Image credit: Canva

It’s when kittens are six weeks old when their eyes will change from blue to their permanent adult eye color, except for those that are meant to be blue-eyed adult cats.

What’s more, a complete set of teeth will be in place, establishing the fact that kittens will be able to turn their backs on the milk of their mommy cat and stick to solid food completely.

However, some six-week-old kittens may still want to have breast milk and solid food at the same time.

Movement-wise, kittens at six weeks of age will be so much better with walking and running, too, which is why they will spend most of their waking hours active and playing with one another.

Seven weeks old

At seven weeks of age, kittens will look like the majority of kittens at animal shelters. Besides being able to walk and run without much trouble, little kitty cats this old will also climb a lot.

Male kittens, when observed from the back end, will be easier to distinguish from female kittens.

That’s because their testicles will descend into their scrotal sac at seven weeks old. It’s due to this why a litter that’s less than seven weeks is often mistaken by many as an all-female brood.

Besides wet cat food, seven-week-old kittens will be eating kibbles, too. However, it’s a good idea to mix them with wet cat food to make the transition from wet to dry food go as smoothly as possible.

Eight weeks old

The body of kittens at eight weeks of age will look proportional, which is why they will look like miniature versions of adult cats.

Besides looking like their bigger and older counterparts, eight-week-old kittens will also eat and sleep at regular intervals like their mother cat or any other adult cats.

It’s also at this time of their lives when they can be spayed or neutered — kittens at eight weeks old are sterilized at animal shelters before they are adopted out.

Kittens that are eight weeks old will be more independent than ever, which is why they can be spotted from time to time away from their mom or siblings.

While they will continue to have increased muscle tone, which is essential for hunting and carrying out daily feline lives, it’s unlikely for eight-week-old kittens to double their weight anytime soon.

Just Before You Feed a Stray Kitten

It’s important that you determine the age of a stray cat before feeding it.

Besides making sure that its rapidly growing and developing body will be properly nourished, you should also see to it that the stray kitten won’t experience an upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea due to giving it food that’s not appropriate for it.

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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of The Pet Rescue.

How to feed a kitten in two months?

29.10.2019

As a kitten grows, its body needs change. Following them, the diet should also change, since nutrition is one of the most important components of harmonious growth. By two months, the kitten is already able to refuse mother's milk and switch to self-feeding - if weaned correctly. But you need to understand that the kitten's digestive and immune systems are not yet fully formed and need support, so even after weaning, he will need an adapted, easily digestible food that contains all the nutrients necessary for harmonious development.

How to feed a two-month-old kitten

To find the right food for a kitten older than two months, you need to find out what the animal has been eating before. If you purchased a kitten from a breeder, ask him what kind of diet the pet had before moving into your home. As a rule, kittens are weaned from their mothers at the age of 4-8 weeks, so by the time of sale, the kitten is most likely already receiving ready-made food.

The situation becomes more complicated if the kitten came into your house from the street. Ask your veterinarian to help you determine your kitten's age and health status. Is he exactly two months old, and not less?

Try first to offer your kitten quality ready-made foods that are appropriate for their age. If he can’t handle not only dry, but even wet food, your best bet is to purchase a cat milk replacer, such as ROYAL CANIN® BabyCat Milk, and start feeding the kitten from a bottle with a nipple, and then proceed to gradually wean.

During weaning, it is recommended to use specialized foods that take into account the special needs of kittens during this period. Royal Canin offers Mother & Babycat suitable for feeding kittens in the first growth phase (1 to 4 months of age) and weaning, as well as for pregnant and lactating cats. Wet food is presented in the form of a mousse, which, thanks to its delicate texture, facilitates the transition of a kitten from mother's milk (or a substitute) to solid food. Dry food, presented in the form of croquettes, is recommended to be introduced at the second stage of weaning in order to accustom the animals to chew food. The kibbles have a soft texture that makes them easy for kittens to chew on, and are easy to soak in water or kitten milk replacer, which also makes it easier to transition from liquid to solid foods.

In order to accustom a pet to dry food from an early age, it is recommended to use Mother & Babycat dry food as follows: in the first stages of weaning, the croquettes are soaked to a porridge consistency and a small amount of unsoaked croquettes is gradually added to this mixture. Over time, more dry granules are introduced into the diet, reducing the volume of "porridge". Thus, there is a gradual transition from feeding liquid foods to dry foods.

A combination of wet and dry food is also possible.

The kitten's sucking reflex is congenital. To switch to self-feeding, he must "go through the evolution of nutritional development", that is, successively master two skills: first, lapping (licking), and then chewing on solid food.

The first complementary food should be close to liquid in consistency, and as uniform as possible in texture, from very small particles. The kitten, which grows up with the mother, watches how she eats, and gradually begins to taste her food. It is possible that a kitten will learn to eat from a bowl faster if you have other animals at home that can “set an example”.

If the process is difficult, try bowls or saucers of different sizes and different depths. See where the kitten is more comfortable to eat from.

Sucking mother's milk is an important moment for a kitten not only in terms of physiology, but also for maintaining a good emotional background.

Sometimes, even in adult cats, you can see how, in moments of relaxation, they “crumple” the air with their front paws, as they once crushed the mother’s stomach, stimulating the release of milk. These reflex "pulling" movements are very important for the psychological balance of kittens.

To bottle feed a kitten, place it on your stomach (not your back!) in your lap. Place a soft blanket or large towel over it, rolling it into a thick roll that the kitten can knead with its paws while eating. Hold the bottle so that the kitten's head is slightly raised, but not thrown back.

Allowing the kitten to show natural behavior, you will partially compensate him for the early separation from his mother, which will favorably affect the development of his psyche and allow you to gradually form "adult" behavior patterns and, in particular, switch to food for older animals.

You can learn more about Royal Canin diets for kittens of different ages here.

Natural feeding

Many cat owners prefer natural feeding, which involves self-selection of products and their combination. However, this type of feeding has both advantages and disadvantages.

Benefits of natural feeding:

the ability to independently control the quality of ingredients;
Some pets are more willing to eat natural foods (meat, offal, fish) than dry or canned food.

Disadvantages of natural feeding:

difficulty in achieving a balance of KBJU (calories, proteins, fats, carbohydrates), especially during the weaning period. The complexity of taking into account other special needs of a kitten (age, breed, individual). An adapted diet requires knowledge of veterinary dietetics;
addition to the diet of vitamin and mineral complexes prescribed by a veterinarian. At the weaning stage, natural feeding cannot satisfy all the needs of a kitten without supplementing the diet with nutrients necessary, for example, for the development of the body's natural defenses and adequate growth and development of the skeleton. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the load on the digestive system, which in kittens at the age of 2 months is not yet fully developed;
high costs of labor and time for preparation (all products must be fresh, so the food has to be prepared daily) and food storage;
risk of poisoning or helminth infection - this is due to improper storage or preparation of products (for example, insufficient cooking of meat, eating raw products, expired products, etc.). Of course, dogs and cats can become infected with bacterial pathogens, including enteric organisms such as E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Yersinia, and endoparasites (eg, such as the tapeworm Echinococcus spp.). The risk to human health should also be considered: in addition to potentially human pathogenic intestinal bacteria, raw meat may contain pathogens of zoonotic diseases such as tuberculosis or tularemia, and farm and wild animals may carry Toxoplasma. Dogs and cats, by eating contaminated meat, can become asymptomatic carriers, and human pathogenic bacteria, such as the Salmonella genus, can be excreted in their feces for many weeks, which allows the bacteria to get on the skin of the animal, then on its sleeping place, and finally , spread throughout the house.
need to know the list of foods prohibited for feeding a kitten.

Ready meals

Manufactured high quality formulas specially formulated for kittens, balanced with all the nutrients needed for healthy growth. They contain a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals and eliminate the need for nutritional supplements. A properly selected diet takes into account the need of the kitten's body for nutrients that support immunity. The ingredients in the feed are selected in such a way as not to overload the digestive system.

Feeding ready-made food saves time that would be required to prepare natural food, and also facilitates the process of food storage.

When feeding dry food, it must be taken into account that the moisture content of such products is low, so the kitten should always have access to clean water.

What not to feed a kitten

The need to know what is contraindicated in the diet of a kitten arises first of all when choosing natural feeding. In order not to harm the pet, you need to know well the list of products that adversely affect the health of the kitten (including those that are toxic to kittens).

From meat products, pork and lard are contraindicated for a kitten, and from offal - bones. In addition, a kitten cannot be fed with cow's milk, an alternative to it can be a milk replacer for kittens, as close as possible in composition to cat's milk. Also prohibited are foods such as chocolate, some vegetables and fruits (tomatoes, eggplant, garlic, persimmons, grapes, citrus fruits), mushrooms, any salty, peppery dishes.

Kittens should not be fed with prepared adult foods. Also unacceptable are any finished feeds that have expired or are organoleptically impaired (when the appearance, texture or smell of the product is different from the norm).

How often to feed a kitten

At the age of 2 months, kittens are fed 5-7 times a day.

With natural feeding, the animal should eat 160 - 180 g of food per day. With natural feeding, it can be difficult to calculate the daily allowance, it is necessary to take into account the ratio of macro- and micronutrients, which only a professional nutritionist can verify. The norms for the consumption of industrial feed are written on the packaging. A portion of dry or canned food, designed for a day, is divided into 6 meals.

Features of mixed feeding

The DuoFeeding feeding system involves mixing dry and wet prepared foods. This approach has advantages. The combination of dry and wet food provides an optimal balance of nutrients, increasing the moisture content of the diet and reducing its calorie content. Mixed feeding helps reduce the risk of diseases such as urolithiasis, idiopathic cystitis, diabetes, obesity. In addition, finicky kittens may be more willing to eat dry food mixed with wet food as the palatability of the foods increases.

When mixed feeding, it is important to follow a number of rules.

Select dry and wet rations from the same manufacturer and from the same range. Since different scales can have different nutrient content, this approach will allow you to maintain the optimal balance of nutrients.
Follow the dry to wet ratio recommended for each situation. Do not overfeed the animal: when introducing wet food into the diet, you need to reduce the amount of dry food accordingly.
Ensure that the animal has free access to clean, fresh water. This is necessary even though mixed feeding increases water intake at the expense of feed moisture.

The formula for mixed feeding can be calculated based on the weight of the animal using the recommendations on the back of the food package.

Mixed feeding can be an excellent tool for the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. To do this, when mixing products, it is necessary to observe certain proportions, which will be different depending on the disease. It is necessary to draw up therapeutic and prophylactic formulas with a veterinarian.

Caring for newborn kittens, how to feed without a cat

July 13, 2021

Contents

Rules for caring for a kitten after birth
How to feed a newborn kitten without a cat
What you need to feed a newborn kitten
How to calculate the size of one serving and the frequency of feeding
How to bottle feed kittens
What difficulties can you face

How to care for newborn kittens in the first month of life: we analyze situations that can cause difficulties for owners.

Rules for the care of a kitten after birth

When newborn kittens appear in the house, the owner must place the babies in a warm, safe place, control their growth dynamics and keep the room clean in the first weeks. Especially if it contains other animals that regularly go outside.

Compiled a detailed checklist for beginner breeders. It includes 5 main points that will help you navigate and understand how to properly care for kittens in the first weeks of life.

Item 1

Maintain optimal nest temperature

Place the birthing box in a warm room away from drafts. In the first week of a kitten's life, the air temperature in the nest should be kept at 29-32 degrees. And then decrease by 2-2.5 degrees every day until it reaches room temperature. This is necessary to prevent hypothermia (hypothermia). After all, the processes of thermoregulation in newborn kittens are not yet developed, and they cannot yet maintain optimal body temperature.

The normal body temperature of healthy newborn kittens is 36-37.5 degrees and is always 5-6 degrees above the ambient temperature. With a decrease to 35, a slowdown in metabolic processes begins. When it drops to 34, the sucking reflex disappears, and the baby dies.

To protect kittens from hypothermia, external heat sources are needed. In the wild, kittens can keep warm on the body of their mother and littermates. But if the cat leaves the nest for more than 30 minutes, and one of the babies is too weak to crawl to his brothers and sisters to keep warm, he will die. In the conditions of home maintenance, it can be saved by the owner. The main thing is to notice the signs of hypothermia in time and take action.

What to do. Use an infrared lamp or place a heating pad filled with warm water wrapped in a thick cloth in the nest. Even if the cat leaves the kittens for a long time, the kids will stay warm and nothing bad will happen.

If one of the kittens does become cold, put it on your skin - for example, under the armpit or under the chest - and wrap it in clothes. Weak kittens need to be warmed for at least 2-3 hours. Putting a kitten on a heating pad is unsafe - a sharp temperature drop provokes vasodilation, additional energy consumption and a high need for oxygen, and this will only aggravate the situation.

Please note: if all kittens are doing well and there is no suspicion of developmental delay, it is not recommended to take them out of the nest for the first 2 weeks. Contrary to popular belief, the cat will not refuse them, but it will definitely get nervous.

Item 2

Establish feeding

In the first month of life, kittens feed on mother's milk, spending up to 8 hours a day on food. Moreover, they receive the main benefit from colostrum in the first day after birth.

Mother's first milk contains a high concentration of maternal antibodies for the formation of passive (primary) immunity, as well as a large supply of vitamins, electrolytes and nutrients. Kittens absorb antibodies into the circulatory system through the intestinal wall. A day after the birth of this ability will no longer be. Therefore, it is useless to give older kittens the colostrum of other cats. As well as expecting that immunity will appear when consuming cat's milk throughout the entire period of lactation.

What to do. Apply kittens to the nipple from the first minutes after birth, after developing the mammary glands with your fingers.

Stroke the cat's belly in a circular motion and find the milkiest nipple - it should be warm and slightly swollen. Massage it with two fingers and lightly press until the first drop comes out - the milk should be white, without impurities of blood, pus and an unpleasant odor.

Check that there is no mucus left in the kitten's mouth and nose. If necessary, pump out excess fluid with a syringe.

Put the kitten on the nipple and wait for the moment when the baby starts to suck on its own. Healthy newborn kittens can continuously suckle milk for 45 minutes, while returning to the same nipple over and over again, finding it by smell - this is normal.

Please note: all kittens tend to develop at different rates. Even individuals from the same litter differ already on the 3rd-5th day of life. Stronger ones inevitably begin to crowd out the weaker ones, and if the pregnancy was multiple, and the cat had little milk, someone simply does not get it. In this case, kittens are taken under patronage and supplemented artificially.

Other reasons for switching to artificial feeding of kittens include death of the mother during childbirth, caesarean section or milk toxicity. This usually happens when the cat eats inexpensive food from the supermarket or takes drugs that are not compatible with lactation.

It is not safe to give away kittens to another littered cat. Having smelled a foreign smell, the animal can harm someone else's cub or reject it by alienating it from the nest, so that the baby will die on its own.

Item 3

Watch your weight gain

In the first 2 weeks of life, kittens are weighed twice a day - in the morning and in the evening. This is necessary to track the dynamics of growth and not to miss the hidden pathology. After all, a uniform weight gain during the first month of life is the most important criterion for the harmonious development of the body.

Healthy kittens are born with a weight of 70-125 grams, gain from 5-15 grams per day and eat 2-3 grams per feeding. By the beginning of the second week of life, birth weight should double. If this does not happen, the situation must be taken under personal control.

and will not open in the third week What to do. Watch a weak kitten. If the baby reaches for the milk nipples, but cannot compete with larger litters, apply it to the developed mammary glands on its own and do not let it fall asleep until it sucks and begins to eat vigorously. If it lies to the side, squeaks, and then falls asleep, start supplementing artificially. If weight does not increase, contact your veterinarian. This may signal a developing pathology. For example, pneumonia, chlamydia, inflammation of the umbilical wound.

Please note that if weight loss occurs in more than one kitten in a litter, the mother's milk may be the problem. It may be toxic or nutritionally deficient due to an imbalance in the cat's diet.

Item 4

Monitor eye condition

All kittens are born blind. But if in some breeds the eyes open on 2-3 days, in others - on 10-14. The task of the owner is to keep the nest clean and not to infect. If the eyes do not open by the third week of the kitten's life, you need to contact your veterinarian. Sometimes the eyelids can only be opened through surgery.

What to do. Do not attempt to open the eyelids yourself. Wipe them with boiled water or chamomile infusion and make sure that the corners of the eyes do not fester.

Item 5

Keep your home clean

Regular wet cleaning reduces the risk of spreading parasites, viruses and infections around the house - they can be brought into the house on shoes, clothes and hands. And if there are other pets in the house - also on paws and wool.

What to do. In the first month of life, kittens and their mother must be isolated. You can touch babies and mother cat only with clean hands. Do not allow other animals with access to free range to the nest. Flooring changed daily. The spread of microbes on a cat bed leads to the insemination of small lesions on the skin with pathogenic flora, and they instantly become inflamed.

Please note: use neutral, fragrance-free detergents and keep household chemicals out of the reach of animals. This will reduce the chance of allergies and poisoning.

How to feed a newborn kitten without a cat

To feed newborn kittens without a mother, use a cat's milk replacer from a pet store or make your own milk formula.

Ready-made milk replacer is sold in dry form. The manufacturer has already balanced it in terms of the ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates and added the necessary vitamins. It remains for the owner to measure the portion with a measuring spoon and dilute the powder with water for one feeding.

Freshly prepared natural food mix made according to the recipe: you will need oat water (50 ml), goat milk (20-30 ml), 5% glucose (2 teaspoons) and egg yolk (1-2 pieces). The consistency should be slightly viscous, but comfortable to swallow. The vitamin complex that needs to be included in the diet of the first month of life is best chosen together with the veterinarian. Freshly prepared food is stored in the refrigerator for no more than a day.

Please note:

If the kitten is in critical condition and no formula is available, use rice water or baby food for newborns. But remember that this measure is forced, and the mixture will be needed in the near future.

If the kitten is too cold, use a 5-10% glucose solution or water sweetened with honey or sugar (1 teaspoon per 30 ml of water) at a rate of 1 ml per 30 g of body weight. With hypothermia, metabolic processes slow down, and the nutrients that come with ordinary food are not absorbed. As a result, the kitten will vomit or severe indigestion will begin.

What you need to feed a newborn kitten

To feed kittens without a mother, use a pipette, syringe without a needle or a special bottle from the pet store - these can be bought separately or in a kit with ready-made formula.

Pipette. In the first days of life, or until the kittens are unable to suckle on their own, a pipette will do. With it, it is easy to control the flow of liquid, squeezing it out drop by drop, so the kittens will not choke. Of the minuses - the lack of dimensional divisions. To dilute the powder, you will have to use a different container.

Syringe. Universal solution for all ages. But if the piston is tight and can "shoot" the mixture into the throat, it is better not to use it.

Bottle. Factory bottles, sold individually in pet stores or included in a bottle of ready-made formula, comply with veterinary standards. The shape of the nipple does not spoil the bite and helps develop the sucking reflex, and there are dimensional divisions on the wall to dilute the mixture in the right proportions. Therefore, this option is considered the most optimal. Especially if the kittens are fed only formula and the owner has to replace the mother cat 24 hours a day.

How to calculate the size of one serving and the frequency of feeding

Portion size and frequency of feeding depends on age:

Age	Single serving size	Feeding frequency
from 1 to 3 days of life	2-2.5 mg	every 1.5-2 hours
from 4 to 7 days of life	5 ml	every 2-2.5 hours
from 6th to 10th day of life	5-7. 5 ml	every 2.5 hours
from 11 to 14 days of life	10-12.5 ml	every 3 hours
from 15 to 21 days of life	10 ml	every 3 hours
From the 21st day of life	7.5-25 ml + solid food	every 6-8 hours

Please note: When feeding with ready-made formula, the serving size is calculated according to the instructions on the package. However, in some cases, the dosage needs to be adjusted. Watch your pet's stool. If it is too dry, the amount of water must be increased and the dry mix reduced.

How to properly bottle feed kittens

Sterilize dishes. Use a baby sterilizer, sterilization tablets or regular boiling water. The immunity of newborn kittens is not yet developed, so it is not safe to expose them to the risk of viruses or germs through the pacifier.

Heat the mixture in a water bath. You can check the temperature by putting a drop on your wrist - it should be warm, but not hot. If you heat the mixture in the microwave, the liquid heats up unevenly, and can leave a burn on the mucous membranes.

Get into a comfortable position. Sit on a sofa or chair with a back and place the kitten on your lap. The baby should lie on his stomach and suck from the bottle in the same way as from the mother's breast. Do not lay it on its back or tilt its head up - this can lead to the backflow of fluid into the lungs, and the kitten will develop pneumonia.

Take your time. Let your baby suckle at his own pace. Do not allow situations where he will choke. If you notice milk coming out of your nose, pump it out immediately with a syringe.

Do not force feed or overfeed. If the kitten eats less than the prescribed portion, reduce the frequency between feedings or offer a little more next time. Some kittens eat less due to the nature of their bodies. Therefore, there is no need to insist on increasing the portion. If the kitten does not feel full and asks for more, evaluate the condition of his stomach. If, after feeding, he became tight and dense, the baby is full, and he does not need an additive.

Stimulate the process of digestion . To improve the process of urination and defecation, massage the kitten's stomach and wipe the genital area with a damp cloth, simulating tongue licking - in the wild, this task is performed by their mothers. Without additional stimulation, newborn kittens will not be able to empty their intestines and bladder.

What difficulties you may encounter

1. Aspiration pneumonia (pneumonia). Occurs when amniotic fluid, milk or vomit is thrown into the lungs. Fluid enters the trachea at the time of inhalation. But since the cough reflex in the first 10-14 days of life is not developed in kittens, they cannot cough up and push it back. As a result, the lung tissue becomes inflamed and swollen, the airways stop functioning, and the animal dies. The first symptoms of the disease: heavy breathing, wheezing, gurgling, refusal of food, weight loss, squeaking, weak sucking reflex, cyanosis of the mucous membranes. The disease develops within 1 week and is the main cause of death in the first month of life. What to do. Carefully aspirate fluid from the mouth and nose with a syringe during childbirth. Slowly introduce the mixture drop by drop while artificially surfacing, adhering to the “one sip - one drop” rule.

2. Hypothermia. Occurs due to low temperature in the nest and lack of food. A decrease in body temperature to 34 degrees leads to dysfunction of the stomach and small intestine and loss of the sucking reflex. Kittens cannot yet maintain an optimal body temperature, and without an external source of heat they will quickly weaken and lag behind in development. The first symptoms of hypothermia: weight loss, weakness. If you put a kitten on your palm, the body does not tense up, but remains sluggish and lifeless. What to do. Provide an external heat source. Follow the feeding schedule and appetite.

3. Parasites. Occurs due to transmission from the mother or poor sanitation in the home. Damage symptoms: the development of anemia, violation of the integrity of the skin, weight loss. What to do. Restrict access to walking for the cat. Carefully carry out wet cleaning. If an invasion is detected, treat the kittens with an antiparasitic shampoo - you can bathe the kittens at the age of 1 month.

4. Eyelids fused. Occurs due to breed and genetic characteristics. First symptoms: kittens do not open their eyes in the third week of life. What to do. Wipe the eyelids with a decoction of chamomile. Contact a veterinarian.

5. Atypical behavior of the mother cat. Occurs due to a hormonal imbalance or feline eclampsia (a sharp decrease in calcium in the blood).