What To Give Newborn Kittens

When the kittens are 1 2 weeks old bottle feed the kittens every 1 2 hours with a commercial milk replacer formula.

What to give newborn kittens. A kitten that had a mother would receive the colostrum in their first hours of life. Under normal conditions the mother does this licking the crotch of the kittens every three or four hours. Its use is not only to give nutrients to the newborn kitten but also to provide passive immune defenses by transmitting immunoglobulins. If your cat has just given birth she ll take care of the kittens.

Newborn kittens may nurse about every 1 2 hours. Provide plenty of food and a safe place so that she can look after her kittens. Do not give cow s milk to the kittens because it is too hard for them to digest. At 3 to 4 weeks old they may need to eat between four and six times a day.

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. Take a cotton pad moistened with warm physiological solution. When the kittens are 3 4 weeks old provide formula in a shallow dish as well as some kitten food that has been softened with water. Kittens need constant feeding to stay nourished.

Starting from the top massage the tummy. Use a large enough box to comfortably hold the mother cat and her kittens. Provide blankets a heat lamp or a heating pad to ensure the kittens stay warm. This allows the kitten to suckle as if from her mother.

Chilling is one of the most critical dangers to newborn kittens. At about three to four weeks old they can be offered milk replacer from a bowl and then small amounts of moistened kitten food four to six times a. Stack clean towels to line it. The teat is long and narrow which is ideal to fit inside the mouth of a newborn kitten.

Keep the newborn kittens with the mother. Don t give a kitten cow s milk which can cause gastrointestinal upset. The mother will also teach the kittens to toilet and socialize.