Taking care of a tiny kitten is like taking care of your own child. It takes dedication, commitment, and love. The process may take time and energy, but the results are definitely worth the trouble. With the appropriate feeding formula and timing, you’ll witness a fragile young kitten transform into a playful, parading, happy cat in only a few weeks.
Let’s get started with some tips and techniques, so you know everything you need to do if you plan to bottle-feed your kitten.
- Get a Feeding Bottle With Nipple
You’ll need a 2oz or 4oz feeding bottle that you can easily use to feed a kitten. Bottles with nipples are easily available at nearby pet shops and online stores. We recommend getting the bottle from Online PetShops because we’ve got good quality bottles for your furry fellow. Please keep in mind that the nipple that comes with the container is not sliced. You’ll need to make a hole in it yourself. The opening should be large enough that the formula can gently drip out of it if held upside down, but not so large that it spills out easily.
Kitten milk replacer is offered in both fluid and a granular white powder. They work reasonably well, although some people prefer the powder since you only have to combine everything you need for each milk feeding time.
- Examine Your Kitten’s Health
Continually evaluate your kitten before feeding them to ensure that the food is safe to eat. It is not safe to feed a hyperactive kitten or a kitten with a low body temperature. Wait till the temperature has adjusted and the kitten is warm enough. It’s also not okay to feed a kitten who has digestive issues. Feeding a kitten with a congenital defect can be even more dangerous. Before feeding milk, make sure you’ve checked the kitten’s temp and bodily status.
Place a drop of formula on the kitten’s tongue and feel the esophagus with one finger to ensure that it can swallow. Proceed if the kitten looks to be steady and consuming.
- Prepare Formula
You’ll need to buy kitten’s special formula milk since you can’t feed kittens milk from your refrigerator. Never give a kitten animal milk or other milk products, dairy substitutes, or adult infant formula since this can be harmful or even deadly. Instead, buy a kitten feed from a vet clinic or a grocery store with pet food items. Keep the solution chilled once opened. Make the mixture according to the package recommendations, ensuring that it is fresh, wrinkled, and pleasantly warm.
You will need a few materials to bottle feed the kitten. Proper human baby bottles will most likely be too large, but most pet stores sell baby kitten flutes and nips. Check out our mini-miracle nipples and order what your kitten requires. If your kitten is premature, you must spray until they’re big enough to suck on the bottle. If this is the case, consult with your veterinarian.
- Prepare to Feed the Kitten
Always place the kitten in a comfortable tummy posture, never on the back. With your non-dominant hand, keep the kitten’s neck steady. To begin the stream of milk, gently put the nip into the kitten’s mouth and tilt the bottle. The kitten must swallow by curling its tongue into a U-shape. Feeding amounts and intervals should be based on the feeding chart.
Avoid squeezing milk into the kitten’s mouth since this might result in regurgitation. Consider syringe feeding if you’re nursing a newborn kitten and have trouble regulating the flow.
- Monitor Your Kitten’s Growth
A regular check of a kitten’s weight is an excellent approach to monitoring their development and ensuring they achieve the essential growth required. A compact online food gauge is ideal for assessing kittens since it displays their weight in grams and provides an accurate measurement. Place your kitten on the scale at least once a day and record the weight in grams. The weight should increase by at least 10 grams every day. Seek prompt medical attention if the kitten is not putting on weight or is losing weight.
- Complete Your Feeding Process
After feeding, always clean the face by wiping away any milk with a warm, damp towel or baby towel. If any formula is left behind, the kitten may get a hard face or moist eczema, causing its fur to come out, so maintain their hygiene.
And once the kitten has been thoroughly cleaned, ensure you keep them in their warm, secure location.
- Post-Feeding Care
If you’ve got an orphan kitten, the care entails more than simply bottle feeding. You’re also responsible for motivating the kitten to go to the toilet, attending to their medical requirements, keeping them warm and clean, and providing a secure and safe home until they are old enough for placement. Sustain the post-feeding care until the kitten gets 5 to 6 weeks old and ready to transition to wet kitten chow.
- Promote Elimination
The mother cat encourages the evacuation of her kittens by stroking their anuses and vaginal region with her harsh mouth. You may mimic this action by cleaning gently with a warm, moist towel in the very same general area. Take care not to wipe too forcefully since this might irritate the delicate skin in that region. Don’t be discouraged if it takes a few feedings to notice benefits. Urination might be considerably more difficult.
Wrapping Up
To guarantee a newborn kitten’s longevity, you need proper nutrients. However, sometimes the mother cat becomes ill and cannot provide for her young or excludes the kitten from the trash due to injuries or handicaps. In these cases, you must step in and assume the role of the mother cat. This frequently necessitates bottle nursing a newborn kitten until it becomes strong enough to eat ordinary cat food.
If you need any supplies, cat toys, grooming essentials, or feeding items, please visit our online store. We’ve got everything you need!
Best of luck!!
