Make sure the kitten is adequately warm before feeding it. My kitten eats hair bands and rubber things. There's a lot you need to know to make things go smoothly with your new friend. Postnatal Care of a Mother Cat and Her Newborn Kittens, Kitten Development from Newborn to One Week, Kitten Development in the First Six Weeks of Life, Kitten Feeding Schedule: How Much to Feed Your Growing Kitten, How to Prepare Your Kitten for Its First Vet Visit, Your Kitten's Development in the First Six Weeks, The 6 Best Wet Foods for Your Kitten in 2021. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. Doing so can cause gastric ulceration, gastro-intestinal ulceration, and bleeding -- with possibly fatal blood loss. Here is a common age-based protocol used by many vets when a kitten won’t eat: Try different high-quality canned foods until finding one she'll eat. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. What should I do? University Of Wisconsin Madison Shelter Medicine Program, How To Bottle Feed A Kitten. Guide to Raising Underage Kittens. If it doesn't burp right away, don't worry, just move onto the next step. Kittens do not like to drink water from an unclean surface. If your newly weaned kitten won’t eat, it could be as simple as switching from a round kibble shape to oblong. Try using a milk replacer powder for cats if you don't have a liquid food prescribed by a vet. Place the kitten face down on your lap. Do not use ordinary milk. Turn the bottle upside down and allow a drop of formula to come out. unlocking this expert answer. If you are feeding your kitten dry kibble, try mixing it with some warm water. If your kitten fails to progress, call your. Allow them to drain on a clean towel before using. Bring your kitten to the vet if your kitten has not eaten for more than a day. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Approved. Regular human baby bottles will likely be too big, but most pet stores have newborn kitten bottles and nipples, as well as a commercial formula specifically designed for kittens. The Spruce Pets uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Meloxicam should only be used in well hydrated animals. Feed the kitten. Place the bottle nipple in the kittens mouth and gently move it back and forth, holding the bottle at a 45-degree angle to keep air from getting into the kittens stomach. In these situations, you will need to step in and take on the role of the mother cat. Place a large towel, a washcloth, and a bowl of warm water on a table next to a comfortable chair. Rub its head with thumb from between eyes to over top of head. Just as with human babies, it's important that you feed your kitten with sterilized bottles and warm the formula before offering it to the kitten. This can be fixed by putting a bowl of water outside for them, though most cats drink from bird baths or ponds anyway. If your kitten still won’t eat, try putting a small amount of food on your finger and bringing it to the kitten’s mouth, or try feeding your kitten with a syringe. Feed slowly but frequently: every two to three hours during the day. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years. If it burns, it's too hot; body temperature is just right. How often should you feed him? applied the instructions given and now it's really working. Without raising the kitten's head, place the nipple in its mouth. This movement should encourage the kitten to start eating. What … Eye dropper or syringe will keep it in energy to keep on living. Usually the kitten will latch on and begin to suckle. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. If you do get your kitten to eat again, wait a little while once he's had a full meal before feeding him again. Most cats can't tolerate milk after they stop getting it from their mother, and if your kitten won't drink milk from their mother, it might be a good idea to see a vet, as this could be an early symptom of illness. When cats feel poorly, they stop eating. Dehydrated animals may have impaired renal function; the additional decrease in blood supply to the kidney may tip the animal into renal failure. Warm her up first gently, either by using the water bottle wrapped with towel of by gently caressing her by your chest and allow your body heat to warm her up. To ensure the survival of a newborn kitten, ample nutrition must be provided. Note that very young kittens should be woken up for frequent feedings. If you give dry food, moisten it, because kittens can’t chew dry food well until about eight weeks old. Mix and fill one bottle with kitten formula according to the directions on the package. Dr. Smith is part of The Spruce Pets' veterinary review board. If your kitten won’t eat, chances are she is either sick or depressed. Sometimes puppies won't nurse from a bottle and have to be tube-fed. Which usually means that kittens have to be fed little and often. Feed the kitten a few drops of milk at a time. When Does a Cat Go Into Heat After Birth? You will also need a feeding bottle or two. If I suspect that a cat will start eating again soon, I’ll recommend an appetite stimulant (mirtazapine or cyproheptadine), try syringe feeding (for compliant cats only! Zinc and potassium, which aid wound healing. Urination may take even longer. The mother cat stimulates her kittens' elimination by licking their anuses and genital area with her rough tongue. Try feeding the kitten using a syringe or a dropper. Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. Newborn kittens will need to be bottle-fed about once every two hours. Can I feed a four week old kitten baby food if it won't eat? We've been helping billions of people around the world continue to learn, adapt, grow, and thrive for over a decade. Rasising Neonatal Kittens. The canned food will help in keeping her hydrated. When held upside down, the formula should drip out. Raising the kitten's head or dropping too much formula into its mouth may cause aspiration of the formula into its lungs, which could be fatal. Four meals per day are needed by A eight week old kitten. Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. Feed the Kitten. My kitten is suffering from mange, and she is not eating anything and has become lethargic. You can also try heating the food up a bit to enhance the smell. It will make him sick very sick. Position the kitten similarly to the way he would nurse from his mother, with her head straight, feet down, and stomach resting. It will be an unpleasant task and the kitten will not like it, but this is something you have to do. Also, take it to the vet to find out what's wrong with it. My kitten is doing very well and started eating. Keep trying the bottle. Bottle feeding is the standard method for feeding orphaned kittens, but if you're having difficulty feeding a kitten under 2 weeks old, you may want to consider switching from a bottle to a syringe. Always have a finger on … A syringe can be greatly beneficial for kittens 0-2 weeks of age. My kitten is hungry, but won't eat anything I give her. Depending on its size and condition, your newborn kitten will need approximately nine to 12 daily feedings. Sometimes you can get your kitten eating if you serve her dinner to her heated. Additionally, try a different food to entice your kitten, such as a gravy-based cat food, packaged chicken-flavored baby food, boiled chicken, or unseasoned rice. If your kitten fails to suck or is having trouble getting milk, check the nipple again. % of people told us that this article helped them. After nursing, your kitten will most likely fall asleep. Hole in the meantime, you can try to get a message when this question is answered on. On … newborn kittens will need to feed your kitten every day for the first,! Is having trouble getting milk, check the nipple again flow is too fast fatal blood loss her... Energy to keep the opening small so the formula by placing the in... Dry kitten food should be introduced, along with a degree in veterinary surgery and companion practice! 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