What To Give Newborn Kittens To Eat
Provide plenty of food and a safe place so that she can look after her kittens.
What to give newborn kittens to eat. Therefore in the first days of their life we must give them a substitute which will fulfill the same functions as colostrum. If your cat has just given birth she ll take care of the kittens. Kittens are born blind and deaf. Then observe the kitten as you re feeding it and make sure that no milk comes out of its nose.
Find cat s milk at your local pet store or veterinary office where it is sold as cat s milk or kitten milk. 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. Do not give cow s milk to the kittens because it is too hard for them to digest. The mother will also teach the kittens to toilet and socialize.
If the kitten is a newborn then its eyes and ears will still be sealed shut. Chilling is one of the most critical dangers to newborn kittens. To feed a newborn kitten start by purchasing a kitten milk replacement formula at your local pet store. Since their dietary needs are different from older kittens you will need to bottle feed if your kitten is a newborn.
For the first month of life newborn kittens eat only the milk their mother produces. A kitten that had a mother would receive the colostrum in their first hours of life. Feeding elimination neonatal kittens under four weeks of age cannot eat solid food not canned not dry and cannot urinate or defecate on their own so you must bottle feed them around the clock and stimulate their genitals after every feeding so they can eliminate. When the kittens are 1 2 weeks old bottle feed the kittens every 1 2 hours with a commercial milk replacer formula.
Newborn kittens are those under two weeks old and they survive on a diet of milk and cannot digest solid food. If you cannot find a foster mother please consult with your veterinarian about the proper way to bottle feed with a commercial milk replacer. The mother cat can keep the babies warm but if she leaves to eat or use a litter box the kittens can get cold. 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. Its use is not only to give nutrients to the newborn kitten but also to provide passive immune defenses by transmitting immunoglobulins. If you have newborn kittens who ve been separated from their mother consult with a veterinarian shelter or experienced foster care giver who can help you find a new mother cat with a small litter she may be able to nurse the orphaned babies. Additionally stop the feeding session if your kitten s stomach.
Colostrum is produced by the mother cat.