Be aware that even if you find a cat able to nurse the young kitten, she may not accept the kitten. Always remain present when the nursing cat interacts with your kitten; there is a risk that a queen might attempt to murder a kitten that she rejects. If you are lucky enough to find a foster mother, attempt to disguise the smell of the new kitten. Try stroking the foster mother’s own kittens and then stroke your own kitten. This will help transfer the smell of the mother’s own litter to your newborn kitten. A queen (the cat) is more likely to reject the kitten if it smells totally unfamiliar, so by “disguising” your kitten’s scent, you’re increasing the chance the queen will accept her.
Kitten milk replacement milk comes in a tub or drum and is a dry powder or liquid. You use it in much the same way you use infant formula, in that you follow the directions on the packaging which guides you as to how many scoops to use to how much water. Be aware that milk sold in cartons as “cat milk” is NOT suitable. This is cow’s milk with the lactose removed and is designed to make bovine milk accessible to adult cats (to fulfill our need to feed them milk, rather than any physiological need of the cats themselves. ) It is not suitable for use in kittens.
Another alternative as a stop gap until you can get some replacement milk is to use rice water, meaning the water that you cook rice in. Cook some white rice in water and strain off the liquid. This has a little starch (energy) in it and is non-laxative, and can be a temporary solution. Giving water in the interim will stop the kitten getting dehydrated, and is a better compromise than feeding something (like cow’s milk) which could upset her tummy and make her ill.
A newborn kitten, technically a kitten under two weeks of age, needs feeding attention day and night until she is old enough to begin the process of switching to solids.
To wean your kitten from milk, place a small amount of food in her dish. If she doesn’t seem ready or willing to eat it, you can add a few tablespoons of milk replacement formula or water to soften the food and encourage her interest. Make sure to always have solid food out so that your kitten can approach it when she feels ready and wants to. Over time, reduce the amount of milk you offer as you increase the amount of solids. Most kittens can handle a diet of solids by seven weeks of age. A kitten aged between six to 10 weeks old needs to be fed six to eight meals a day, while a kitten aged 10 weeks to six or seven months needs four meals a day and a kitten up to nine months needs three meals a day. Note that it’s not until adulthood that two meals a day for a cat is acceptable.
If you do not have a feeding set, then the next best option is a syringe, which you can use to drip the milk into the kitten’s mouth. However, the kitten cannot suckle from a syringe, so try and buy a feeder at the earliest opportunity.
You can purchase Milton sterilizing fluid from drug stores, usually find in the baby aisle. Follow the directions on the packaging. If you do opt to sterilize your cat feeding equipment with the Milton fluid, be sure to rinse everything off with boiled water prior to use in order to wash away any residue of the sterilizing solution.
Always make the milk up fresh for each feed. The milk does not contain preservatives and newborn kittens have weak immune systems, so any bacterial contamination of milk that stands around could be disastrous for the kitten’s health. Do not put the formula in the microwave; this will cause bubbles of very hot or very cold formula to form in the bottle. Instead, put the formula in a container and put that into the hot water. Make sure the milk is at the correct temperature - neither cold nor hot. Ideally, the milk should be at body temperature, so when you place a few drops of it onto the back of your hand, it feels about the same temperature as your skin. If it is too hot, the milk could burn your kitten’s mouth.
Try to keep your kitten at this temperature by using a heat pad underneath a well insulated nest. If you don’t have a heat pad, then use a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel to prevent direct contact with the hot bottle which could cause burns. Replenish the hot water bottle as often as needed to keep it warm. [7] X Research source Reproduction in the Dog and Cat. Christiansen. Publisher. Baillerie-Tindal.
If using a teat, at this point give her a bit of help by wriggling the teat into her open mouth. Nature should then take over and she starts to suck. If using a syringe, gently press on the plunger to release a drop into her mouth. Let her swallow between drops. Never flood her mouth with milk as she may well breath the milk, get milk in the lungs and develop pneumonia, which is usually fatal in young kittens. Just take your time and go slowly. [9] X Research source The kitten’s posture is very important. Never feed a kitten on her back like a human baby and always make sure sure the kitten is resting on something when feeding. Make sure that the head is not raised as this could cause aspiration, the inhaling of formula into the lungs, which is serious and can even be fatal. [10] X Research source
One to three days: 2. 5 milliliters (0. 08 fl oz) of KMR every two hours Four to seven days: 5 milliliters (0. 17 fl oz) of KMR 10 to 12 feeds a day Six to 10 days: 5 to 7. 5 milliliters (0. 17 to 0. 25 fl oz) KMR 10 feeds a day 11 to 14 days: 10 to 12. 5 milliliters (0. 34 to 0. 42 fl oz) KMR every three hours 15 to 21 days: 10 milliliters (0. 34 fl oz) eight times daily 21 days and beyond: 7. 5 to 25 milliliters (0. 3 to 0. 8 fl oz), three to four times daily, in addition to introducing solid food There are also calculators online that can help you figure out how much to feed your kitten. [13] X Expert Source Natalie Punt, DVMVeterinarian Expert Interview. 15 February 2022.
In terms of quantity, if you have a greedy kitten and she keeps sucking even though she’s exceeded the recommended amount, look at her tummy. If her belly is tight and distended, then stop feeding. This is a sign that her stomach is full but that she just hasn’t realized it yet. Do not overfeed. [14] X Research source If your kitten takes less than the recommended amount, don’t panic. This may be the kitten’s individual preference. If you are worried she hasn’t taken enough, rather than push her to take more and risk flooding her lungs, stop, let her rest and try again an hour or so later. [15] X Research source
Encourage and stimulate burping by holding the kitten with his back resting against your body and gently rubbing his stomach. In the queen and kitten relationship, the mother will groom the kitten to help him pass wind and stools. Don’t be surprised by either result – it’s a good sign![16] X Research source
This is an important step in feeding your kitten successfully. If you do not mimic the mother’s stimulation of her kitten’s elimination, your kitten will not empty her bladder and bowels and can become very ill.
Add solid foods such as soft, canned foods and hard foods to the diet when the kitten is around four weeks old. Some kittens will bottle feed for up to eight weeks and this progress should be communicated with a veterinary professional.
