What and how to feed a newborn kitten for up to 1 month without a cat?

Sometimes it happens that after the birth of kittens, a cat is unable to feed them breast milk on her own. A milk replacer for kittens will help solve this problem. In this article we will tell you about the features of cat milk, help you choose a quality substitute, and also talk about its dosage and use.
The article will also describe several recipes with which you can prepare replacement mixtures at home. This is useful if you do not have the opportunity to purchase ready-made formula in a store or order it online, and the kittens need to be fed urgently.

Dishes for feeding kittens

You can feed kittens from bottles and syringes purchased at the pharmacy. Often, an ordinary disposable syringe without a needle is used for this purpose. The syringe must be replaced with a new one throughout the entire feeding period. Its lower end is sometimes rounded, treated with thin sandpaper or a file. Even in cases where the kitten initially does not immediately like this method of feeding, he will gradually get used to it and even begin to suck out the contents of the syringe.

A homemade device in the form of a bottle of used drops and a pipette is also suitable for feeding kittens. A bottle of eye drops, for example, chloramphenicol drops, is ideal. It resembles a baby bottle, and the top part is adapted for a nipple made from the rubber part of a pipette. Before use, all items are washed well and must be sterilized. Abandoned kittens have very weak immunity, so bottles and nipples must be sterilized and the syringe replaced with a new one.

Why do cats abandon kittens?

Despite the fact that cats usually have a stronger maternal instinct than dogs, they still sometimes abandon their kittens. The question of how to feed a blind kitten without a cat may arise primarily because the cat may refuse to feed it due to the poor psychological climate around it.

If you make noise near the lambing area, the animal will get scared and abandon the kittens.

In a normal state, from the moment the kittens are born, the animal begins to take care of them, namely, licking them and feeding them milk. If in the first days you fuss too much around the family or make noise near the lambing area, the animal will simply get scared and abandon the kittens. This can also happen when you occasionally pick up kittens in your arms without the animal’s permission. It’s one thing when the owner does it, it’s another thing when strangers do it.

There should be no contact with them until the kittens open their eyes. Typically, such a quarantine lasts several weeks, and the optimal situation will be when the cat itself brings the kittens to you, or they start running on their own and come out of their hiding place. In all other cases, only the owner of the animal in emergency cases, or a veterinarian, can examine and touch the family.

When a cat does not have milk in the first days after giving birth, you will have to feed the kitten yourself

It is worth knowing that when kittens are born by caesarean section, the cat’s maternal instinct is often weakened. As a result, you should take care in advance about how to feed a kitten without a cat. The same measures should be taken when the cat does not have milk in the first days after birth. This may be due to a hormonal imbalance that she experienced. In the latter case, a little later the animal can take the kittens back for feeding.

In addition, the animal may get sick or may not like the place where the offspring is located. In this case, the cat will begin to drag it to a new place, which will also affect its desire to feed. Therefore, if you do not know whether it is possible to feed a kitten without a cat, it is best to clarify this information in advance. If you are prepared, the newborn animal will quite calmly endure the procedure of artificial feeding without harm to its development and condition.

You can negotiate with the owner of a nursing cat and give her kittens

It is also worth looking very carefully at the entire lambing immediately after birth. Unfortunately, sometimes sick and dead kittens are born. You will need to get rid of them immediately, since the cat’s hostility towards them can spread to healthy kittens, which she may stop feeding. Sick kittens are treated, but defective ones, unfortunately, will have to be euthanized.

What will you need for self-feeding?

To feed a small newborn kitten, you should purchase special equipment:

A pacifier, but definitely not a baby one . You will need a special one, which can be purchased at a pet store or veterinary pharmacy. But the baby is fed without a pacifier; it will be needed a little later.
Pipette . This is the best option for feeding the animal. Its convenience is that food can be served in doses and the volume can be clearly calculated. However, the pipette should be used carefully, since air entering it can cause severe bloating in the baby.
Spoon - theoretically, a kitten can be taught to eat mixture from a spoon, but this method of feeding contributes to the suppression of sucking reflexes.
Syringe – used without a tip (needle). This device is considered the most convenient and easy to use. The syringe's nose resembles a cat's nipple and helps develop conditioned reflexes.

Bottles. Pet stores sell special feeding bottles. However, they all have standard universal sizes, so they are not suitable for all breeds of kittens. Owners will need to select an individual size:

When you turn the bottle over, milk flows out. This indicates that the hole diameter is too large. Intensely leaking milk threatens the kitten with choking.
The milk comes out of the container only after pressing on it - the hole has an insufficient diameter, so the milk comes out with difficulty, because of this the kitten will not be able to suck it. Such inconvenience for the animal will lead to it refusing to eat.
The ideal hole size is that the milk drips slowly when you lightly press the sides of the bottle.

It is important to immediately select the correct hole diameter for the kitten.

The animal will quickly get used to a certain type of nipple, and replacing it can lead to a complete refusal to eat from the bottle. It is difficult for a person to replace a mother cat for a newborn kitten. But if you put maximum effort and attention into the process, it will turn out very well.

Special feeding tube

This device is used if it is not possible to awaken the baby’s sucking reflex, accordingly, other methods of feeding are impossible, or the animal is too weak to suck on its own.

Using a special tube is the cleanest and most hygienic method of feeding kittens. But using this device requires a certain skill and extreme care. Disadvantages of using a tube:

There is no way to control the amount of food, which is why the kitten receives too much of it (extremely bad for digestion) or, conversely, not enough.
If the baby has a well-developed sucking reflex, but cannot satisfy it due to the lack of a pacifier or syringe, he begins to “suck” the fur of another kitten or his own. He does this too intensely, which can lead to serious skin diseases.

Algorithm for using the handset:

Open your pet's jaw by pressing on it with your fingers. Before inserting the tube into the esophagus, it must be lubricated with a special product, for example, KY jelly.
Hold the kitten's head straight while pushing the tube down the esophagus. You need to slide across the sky, moving the device along the back wall of the esophagus.
The tube should be advanced until the mark on the hose is equal to the level of the nose - it has reached the esophagus.
Connect a syringe with the nutritional mixture to the tube. It is recommended to press the piston slowly and carefully.

How to make a mark? The distance from the animal's nose to the last rib is measured. The mark is needed in order to insert the tube correctly, directly into the stomach.

Risk of improper use of the tube. You cannot use the tube without certain knowledge and skills. When deciding to feed a kitten with a special device, you must consult with a veterinarian who will demonstrate the correct use of this device.

Incorrect technique for using the tube carries the risk of it getting into the respiratory tract. If the kitten squeaks while feeding, it means that the tube has entered the stomach without touching the respiratory organs. Given the difficulty of tube feeding kittens, this method is mostly used by breeders.

How to take care of a kitten

Babysitting a newborn without a mother cat is not an easy task, but it can be done.

You have to fulfill several conditions to successfully raise a kitten at home:

Find a mixture similar to cat milk;
Observe the temperature regime (food temperature - 36-38 degrees);
Keep the cat warm, from 25 to 30 ° C and wipe it after feeding;
Follow the kitten's body signals. Diarrhea, constipation or nausea in the patient indicate that the mixture is not suitable.

There are many cases when a cat dies during childbirth. It happens that she refuses offspring. Nervous cats sometimes show no interest in their offspring and are apathetic or aggressive. Getting a mustachioed shrew to feed newborns is almost impossible, and even dangerous for babies.

If a mother cat does not have the strength or patience to feed her babies, you can try to find a replacement for her among the neighbors. Another good news: a miniature dog can also cope with the role of nurse. Maternal instinct will work in such a way that someone else's animal will begin to take care of the little cat. Even a cat is suitable for care, because in addition to food, the kitten will have to be provided with warmth and hygiene. Before entrusting a four-legged orphan to the “teacher”, make sure that she has no infectious diseases. You should not expose a newborn to unvaccinated cats, and it is also important to carry out prevention against worms.

Let's assume we managed to find a nanny. But it may turn out that she feeds her foster child poorly and gets irritated at the sight of a stranger. Perhaps a nursing cat does not have enough experience. In this case, it will be better for you to take the baby out of harm's way. Every veterinary pharmacy is replete with mixtures for crumbs.

Temperature and dose of milk

Depending on its size, the kitten is given approximately 2.5 milliliters of the mixture, adding half a milliliter evenly after two feedings. After three days, the baby is able to drink up to 10 milliliters of milk. The temperature of the mixture should not exceed 38-39°C. That is, the mixture should not be hot, nor should it be cold. You can check whether the formula is suitable for feeding a kitten by dropping it on your wrist. The warm mixture does not burn.

Often, when feeding, they adhere to the following regimen, depending on age: - 1 week - approximately 30 milliliters per 100 grams of weight; - at 2 weeks 35 milliliters per 100 grams of weight is given; - at 3 weeks the norm is 40 milliliters per 100 grams of weight; - from 4 weeks - ranging from 48 to 53 milliliters per 100 grams of weight.

How often are newborn kittens fed and how is the serving size determined?

In order for tiny babies to emerge, they will have to be fed every 2 hours, including at night. Two-week-old kittens can be fed every 3 hours during the day and once at night. Feeding three-week-old cats involves feeding them 4 times a day during the day; they are not touched at night. After eating, the kittens immediately fall asleep, and when hungry, they begin to squeak loudly and crawl around the box, poking their noses into the walls.

For the first five days after birth, kittens should eat 30 ml of the prepared mixture per 100 g of weight per day. Then the amount of food is gradually increased so that the daily norm is 38 ml/100 g. From the 15th day, every day the baby is given 45 ml/100 g of weight. This diet is maintained for the next 9 days, and then, for a month, the daily dose is 55 ml.

With a properly selected diet, the cat should regularly gain weight. If at the time of birth the baby weighs 90 g, then in the first week of life he should add 20 g, up to 110 g, and a week later - up to 190–200 g. In the third week, the baby’s weight should be at least 270 g. When does the kitten weigh a little less than 400 g, they begin to gradually introduce complementary foods.

Tips for feeding a kitten

Raising kittens without a cat, especially for the first time, requires a lot of effort, patience, and skills. The following tips will help you overcome difficulties and tell you how to get out of a difficult situation.

The kitten has eaten the amount allotted for its age, but continues to suck. How to proceed? Immediately a fear arises - he doesn’t have enough, he hasn’t eaten enough, I must add. It's worth checking your tummy. Round and elastic, it indicates that there is enough food. The kitten just got carried away, or didn’t realize that it was full.
The baby does not drink the dose prescribed for his age. Perhaps he is sick. Or this is a feature of the body - it eats less food. If he behaves on par with the other kittens and does not seem weak, then everything is fine. Otherwise, you need to show it to a specialist.
The kitten must be fed at night. This is a feature of the body of a newborn, like a baby. If this is not done, digestion will be disrupted and health problems will arise. At night, kittens will meow, look for food, and not sleep.
The portion should be divided into 2 times. Initially, the baby pounces on the food and sucks greedily. Having drunk it all, he does not realize that he is full and feels hungry. Then proceed as follows. They feed one kitten; when it drinks half of it, they stop feeding it. They move on to the second baby. They do the same. Then they return to the first baby again. In this case, he will eat calmly, and the feeling of fullness will come on time.
The mixture is prepared in portions before feeding. The digestive system is such that it cannot tolerate “yesterday’s” or “morning” food. There is bloating, fermentation, pain. It is better to heat food in a water bath.
The kitten does not take the pacifier, pipette, or the tip of the syringe; you must carefully insert it into the mouth and squeeze out a little of the mixture. To stimulate sucking, you need to stroke his back and forehead.
When feeding a kitten, you need to make sure that the head does not tip back too much. In this case, he does not have enough breath, which leads to difficulties. The kitten may choke, choke, or suffocate.
To determine whether the baby is full or not, you need to observe his behavior. A well-fed kitten will turn away from the pipette and calmly go to bed. A hungry baby will squeak, suck on his brothers, and look for a pacifier.
It is better to buy milk for preparing the mixture at the market, not in the store. In this case, you can be sure of its natural origin and quality. If the milk contains food additives, preservatives, or water, it will not benefit the kitten. In addition, the mixture prepared according to the recipe will be low in calories, the baby will not get enough of it.

Feeding a kitten without a cat is a very labor-intensive and lengthy process. You need to quit all your business, not go to work, feed the babies every 2 hours day and night. The sacrifices must be justified.

An interesting fact remains that when such a situation arises in rural areas, kittens are fed fresh cow's milk from a pipette for literally a week. When they get to their feet, offer a small bowl. No special care. As a result, they grow up alive, playful, and healthy. They determine their own norm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2ZCM15oLgw

Feeding kittens

In order for babies to develop normally, they need a proper diet with the obligatory presence of vitamins. To create mixtures for kittens, you should get a small measuring cup. You also need to know how much weight of a particular component a teaspoon or tablespoon can hold. This knowledge will be useful when preparing mixtures.

All kitten formula recipes include dairy products. At best, food that replaces cat milk is purchased at pharmacies and pet stores. However, this option is not always suitable for everyone. Therefore, people use self-created mixtures to feed kittens.

To create a milk formula for a kitten, goat's milk with a fat content of up to 2.5% or cow's milk - 1.5% is often used. Once every 2 days, you can add the yolk of quail eggs and 2-3 drops of syrup consisting of 1 teaspoon of water and 1 teaspoon of sugar to the milk.

When the kittens open their eyes, they should be given any meat mixture intended for human children. At first, it replaces one milk feeding. A day later another one and so on.

The meat mixture (2.5 ml) should be diluted with one teaspoon of water, stirring until it becomes liquid sour cream. Kittens are fed through a syringe or pacifier. The solution is stored in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

How and what should newborn kittens be fed?

Feeding helpless newborn kittens is the most crucial moment in care. An undeveloped digestive system requires a serious approach to choosing formula milk. In the first days of life, the cat feeds the babies colostrum, which will ensure the development of primary immunity. Cats cannot do without it, but in a veterinary clinic they can inject a special serum subcutaneously. It is made from cat blood and contains all the necessary substances that protect babies from viruses and harmful bacteria.

Experts recommend feeding newborn babies frozen milk from another cat, but this option is not always available. You cannot feed them cow's milk, because it does not contain the necessary proteins and amino acids. With such a diet, kittens begin to get sick and quickly die. Cat milk has a unique composition; it contains a lot of taurine and fats. It can only be replaced with specially developed mixtures for cats.

Ready-made milk formulas - cat milk substitutes (brands, composition, price)

Feline formula is produced by different manufacturers. It is adapted for babies, does not cause allergies and contains all the substances necessary for a small body.

Each package contains a convenient bottle, preparation instructions and a description of the composition. The product is sold in large plastic jars weighing 200, 300 or 500 g, inside which are placed 3 bags of formula, several nipples, a bottle and a measuring cup. The most popular manufacturers of such cat food on the world market are Beaphar. The first produces the “Babycat Milk” mixture, and the second – “Kitty Milk”.

Both products have a similar composition and contain:

protein;
minerals;
taurine;
amino acids;
vitamins;
antioxidants;
fats;
fiber.

For a jar of “Kitty Milk” weighing 200 g you will have to pay from 640, 500 g – from 1300 rubles, and the “Babycat Milk” mixture (300 g) will cost the owner from 1200 rubles. There is a mixture with the addition of German maternal colostrum "Kittenmilch", its cost is from 1200 rubles for a package weighing 90 g and from 4860 for 750 g. How much cat milk substitute is needed for 21 days (after three weeks babies can be fed), depends on the recommendations on its application.

For which breeds - which substitute?

Cat milk replacers are universal not only for all cat breeds, but also for most young pets in general. For example, many owners give a mixture of the same manufacturer to both kittens, puppies, and ferrets. The main difference when feeding is the breed for which the replacement is needed. The larger the kitten, the more nutrients it needs. Of course, the dose must be increased very carefully, because the pet’s stomach is very small in the first weeks. You should also monitor the color of the feces and whether the kitten falls asleep after feeding.

Source

Kitten formula recipes

1. In a liter of boiling milk, stir 1 teaspoon of bone meal, 200 milliliters of condensed milk without sugar and 100 milliliters of water. The resulting mixture is filtered and cooled.

2. Mix 2 egg yolks, a glass of milk, 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil, 1 drop of Tertravit or Trivit vitamins.

3. Use 0.5 teaspoon of unrefined vegetable oil as an additive, “Tertravit” up to 0.3 milliliters, “Vitom” - on the edge of a knife. Without additives, the mixture can stand in a cold place for 24 hours. When additional components are added to half the solution before feeding, the mixture is filtered through a sieve and heated in a sterile container immersed in warm water.

4. Goat or cow's milk is mixed with protein in a ratio of 4 to 1 and whipped until smooth.

5. Mix 50 ml of raw and 50 ml of boiled milk, 0.5 yolk and 1 tsp. corn oil.

6.1 egg yolk, 0.5 l. concentrated milk is mixed until smooth.

7. 200 ml of cream with 10% fat content is diluted with water 1:2. A glass of 10% cream should be diluted with boiled water in a 1:2 consistency.

8. For weak babies, the mixture is prepared from half a glass of milk with a fat content of 3.2%, 20 ml of glucose (5%) and 1 yolk.

Cat milk replacer

There is no natural alternative to cat milk, which is not surprising from the point of view of nature itself. But wise, caring manufacturers have already learned to create mixtures that are safe to replace cat milk. Even if not to the fullest extent, it is better than nothing. The most important thing is that the products contain vital components for the kitten:

vitamins and minerals;
amino acids;
fatty acids (Omega-3 and Omega-6);
microelements.

There are more than three dozen manufacturers of artificial cat milk in the world, whose products differ in composition, quality and, accordingly, cost. The most famous brands (some of them also produce food):

Royal Canin;
Beafar;
Kamon;
Nutri-Wet;
Dolphos;
Clouders;
Jimborne;
Trixie;
Harts;
Vo-Toys;
Jimpet.

Unfortunately, having taken on such a responsible task, many manufacturers have not been able to recreate the formula of cat milk as accurately as possible. They overlooked many ingredients, without which the correct development of the cat could be in jeopardy. But the products “Royal Canin”, “Beafar” and “Gimpet” have established themselves as the most complete mixtures in terms of ingredients. In addition, the three named products replicate the proportion of nutrients contained in real cat milk.

Vitamins and supplements

Artificial kittens are usually ready for supplementary feeding earlier. As soon as the babies open their eyes, they should be encouraged to lick from their finger or saucer:

Homemade live yogurt.
Whole milk.

In addition to nutritional value, the above products contain vitamins and supplements that are necessary for full development. It is important that yogurt and whole milk contain taurine, a rare amino acid, without which the full formation and functioning of the cardiovascular system is impossible.

Pharmacy vitamins can be added to the first complementary foods:

Fish fat.
Omega-3, Omega-6.
B vitamins.

All of the above vitamin supplements have a fatty base, so there is a risk of developing diarrhea . With diarrhea, a kitten quickly loses water, which is very dangerous at 2-3 weeks of age. Introduce vitamin supplements into complementary foods carefully, in small quantities, monitoring the baby’s body reaction.

Frequency of feeding

During the first week, babies are fed every 2-3 hours during the day to avoid various diseases and to strengthen the body. Then gradually reduce feeding at night, bringing the feeding interval to 5 hours in the second week. At week 3, when the kittens begin to see, feeding at night is stopped (from 24:00 to 6:00 am). After 4 weeks, they proceed to the feeding process according to the usual schedule.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with: Bengal cats - photos and descriptions of the characteristics of the breed

The kitten may refuse further food intake due to the fact that he generally eats little. Sometimes this is associated with some kind of disease. If you have any doubts, consult your veterinarian.

If the baby's tummy is large and dense, you should stop feeding after feeding the required portion. The animal may not feel full and therefore continue to eat.

Raising kittens without a cat is a completely accessible process for any compassionate person. Very little time will pass and the result will be a playful mood and a healthy appearance for your grown-up pet.

Procedure

Having prepared the mixture, do not forget that the feeding procedure itself must be properly prepared. When feeding a newly born kitten, it is carefully picked up. Lightly placing a purchased or home-made pacifier into the baby's mouth, support it at an incline of 45. If the baby suddenly coughs, you should turn him head down so that he does not choke.

Experienced cat owners advise that while feeding, gently and lightly stroke the kitten on the head and, if possible, imitate the calm purr of a nursing cat. According to many breeders, such actions have a very beneficial effect on babies. When a kitten is left without its mother, a cat, it is more sensitive to affection and living warmth.

A well-fed kitten can be identified by the milk remaining on its face and round tummy. Milk “gurgles” coming from the baby’s mouth also indicate saturation. In addition, a well-fed kitten stops sucking the formula and falls asleep.

After the feeding procedure is completed, wipe the kitten’s face and any soiled parts of the baby’s body with a cloth soaked in warm water, preventing the mixture from drying on the fur. Such care is mandatory for hygiene.

Prohibited Products

It is recommended to feed the kitten only with approved products; you cannot experiment. It is strictly forbidden to give your baby:

Undiluted cow's milk . It is very heavy and difficult to digest, especially by the unformed digestive tract of a newborn kitten. Feeding your pet cow's milk will lead to severe indigestion, from which he may die.
Cream is an extremely harmful product for a kitten’s digestive system and overall health.
High fat dairy products . The higher the percentage of fat content in a product, the greater the impact on the liver and the risk of developing indigestion.
Premature feeding with meat and sausages . The kitten, of course, will like the smell and taste of meat, but its gastrointestinal tract is not able to digest heavy food. The consequences of such complementary feeding can be extremely disastrous.

If you have to independently feed a kitten deprived of its mother cat, it is best to consult a veterinarian.

Piece feeding

In principle, it is not difficult to feed a kitten that has lost its mother on your own. If you approach feeding correctly and follow the advice of more experienced specialists.

First of all, you should remember that milk from a cow, based on the amount of certain components, is absolutely not suitable for feeding a kitten. So, if the level of water, lactose, fat and ash in cat and cow milk is almost the same, then if the protein in cat milk is 7.0, then in cow milk it is only 3.3%.

The best option for feeding a newborn kitten without a cat is to purchase a ready-made powder substitute. It could be :

Royal Canin Baby Milk
Kitty Milk

If you don’t have a veterinary pharmacy near you or don’t have enough money to buy one, you can prepare formula and feed newborn kittens yourself.

Sterilization and hygiene

Pacifiers, syringes, bottles and other feeding devices should always be sterilely clean. After each feeding, the syringe or pipette, pacifier, milk container must be properly processed. Rinsing with hot water is not enough to clean dishes.

The ideal option is to use a special steam sterilizer. It is sold in pharmacies in children's products. You can use pharmacy sterilizing liquids. After using them, the dishes must be rinsed under warm water. The use of dishwashing detergents is strictly prohibited.

Also watch the video on how to feed a newborn kitten without a cat:

Features of caring for orphan kittens

It is important to ensure that babies are always warm. If the kittens are shivering and their paw pads are cool, it means that the temperature conditions are not suitable for them. The box should be placed close to the radiator (but not close); if there is no battery, you can put a warm heating pad wrapped in a towel in the “nest”. The recommended temperature of the room where little orphans are kept is not lower than 24 oC.

It is important to understand that newborns have weak immunity. They must be protected as much as possible from infection and colds:

always wash your hands before picking up a kitten;
use only sterile feeding utensils;
protect animals from drafts (the box should have high sides and not stand under an open window or opposite the front door).

Immediately after birth, the kitten still does not know how to empty itself. The cat helps him with this. In the absence of the mother, the person will have to take care of stimulating the digestive and excretory systems. After each feeding, you need to place the kitten on its back and stroke its belly, massage under its tail with a cotton pad moistened with warm water. After about 2-3 weeks, the kitten will be able to go to the toilet on its own (after each act of defecation or urination, it must be cleaned, since the baby still does not know how to wash itself with its tongue).