Need newborn help

I'm helping a neighbor with feeding newborn kittens. They're probably a week or so old. Their eyes are open. We got kitten milk and baby bottles. How big should the holes in the nipples be? I'm not experienced with this. And can they at that age drink from a bowl?

The hole should be small, if you have the bottle upside down, none should come out until you squeeze it. You can always make the hole bigger, but you can't make it smaller. If when they nurse, you see milk coming out from te side of their mouth, td to big. Monitor the bottle, if you notice no milk comig out while they suckle, make it a bit bigger.

Make sure they stay warm, lots of nice blankets and let them all stay together for body heat unless feeding.

Only feed tummy down, with head raised a bit.

Weigh them daily with a gram scale to insure they are gaining weight

They need you to help them go to the bathroom. Use a cotton ball with warm water and rub their genitals after every meal to make them urinate and pass stool. They should be burped after each meal as well, to insure there belts don't swell with gas.

They can't drink or eat cat food at this age. Usually around 4 weeks you start to introduce water and mash to them ( kitten food with water to make a mush)

Good luck!

You just got great advice. It is hard to keep kittens alive at this age if they have no mom. You must feed them every 2 hours KMR with a bottle or syringe, tummy down, head slightly up, like they are feeding from mom. Very slowly. They must swallow in between or they will inhale and die. Only 2 ml at a time drop by drop. You must potty them after each feeding. Rub their bottoms with a warm damp cloth or cotton ball so they eliminate. This must happen and they cannot go.on their own. You must help them. Good luck to you. Please ask more questions. They must eat every 2 hours through the night or they will die. You must wake up to feed them. Very serious. Set your clock.

Keep the nesting box warm!  I heated rice in an old sock in the microwave for about 5 minutes - you will see steam!  Wrap the sock in a bath towel, and put near kittens. Leave space by the sock so kittens can move away if they get too warm. Kittens must be kept warm, and be warm when fed. Warm the formula, test that it is only warm, not hot. After feeding you will try to stimulate them to urinate and poop, and yes burp tummy side down. This goes on about every 2 hours. Also would be good to weigh them everyday at same time on small digital scale. You want to be sure they are gaining everyday. That way you will know if they are taking in enough food. There are so many feeding kitten instruction threads on this site! Good luck, it is so rewarding.

Please give us an update how they are doing when you can! God bless!

I was over helping to feed them this morning. They seem to be okay. I think I was off with the age. The one little boy was a tiny bit thinner than the others yesterday so I focused on getting him milk. Last night out of desperation I took over a can of classic fancy feast. He really gobbled it up. Not the whole can of course. We're giving the kitten milk too.

Awesome! Hungry kitty! They need to eat several times a day though, even if it's wet food.

I know. I'll go over again today

Do you think they are closer to 3 or 4 weeks old?  For that kitten to gobble down the wet food, I would think possibly! You might want to mix a little KMR in with the food so their digestive system isn't overwhelmed. Also the food should be unopened can temperature, or lightly nuked a few seconds only to warm any stored cold food. They look maybe 3 weeks at least from the picture. Are their ears unfolded yet? You know sticking up like a cats*?

angels4mom said:

I'm helping a neighbor with feeding newborn kittens. They're probably a week or so old. Their eyes are open. We got kitten milk and baby bottles. How big should the holes in the nipples be? I'm not experienced with this. And can they at that age drink from a bowl?

 

Click to expand...

EXACTLY   what kitten milk do you use?   Its a real kmr or its this  treat for cats?

It's not KMR but it is kitten replacement milk. Their ears are sticking straight up. The little guy I've been so worried about ate some fresh fancy feast today. We put their bottles in warm water for a minute or so then I squeeze a drop or two on my hand to test it. I would like to bring them here but my landlord would have a fit plus I don't know if they have anything contagious and I don't want my cats catching anything. Oh, one or two of them pooped! Yay!!

Adorable babies!!!
Sounds like you're getting lots of great advice. I'm glad they are doing well! Thank you for taking such good care of them. They look like happy, healthy babies! Keep up the great work!

I'm trying but it is frustrating. The woman who has them won't follow my instructions. She puts a bowl of the milk out for them and thinks they all drink it but they don't. I emailed a rescue about finding a suitable foster for them. I'm waiting to hear. I'd love to have them until then but can't.

Would she be open to reading a link or two on kitten care?

sarthur2 said:

Would she be open to reading a link or two on kitten care?

Click to expand...

A friend of mine has stray cats. She's offered to let them go there then I can go over and help with feeding but the challenge will be to convince the neighbor. I'll go over later to feed them and talk to her then. I'm still waiting to hear from the rescue.

I was over earlier and the babies are doing better. Some eating on their own. They still want the bottle too. I took a large box over so they don't climb out and they can exercise. Some were rumbling with each other. It was adorable. They had to get baths. They were filthy. We put them on their fluffy bed then covered them with a fleece blanket. I stimulated their little butts so they'd pee and poop. Boy did it work for a couple of them. The box is big enough to be a kitten play pen.

That's awesome! Thank goodness for you in their lives! Do they have a litter pan in their box? The box sounds awesome! They are warm enough, right? So glad they are eating! How often are you able to see them and feed them?

I go once or usually more a day. They have a warm fuzzy bed and fleece blanket. It's going to be hard to let them go when they get adoptable. Probably hardest on their son. A friend suggested using a foil pie pan for a litter box for now.

angels4mom said:

I go once or usually more a day. They have a warm fuzzy bed and fleece blanket. It's going to be hard to let them go when they get adoptable. Probably hardest on their son. A friend suggested using a foil pie pan for a litter box for now.

Click to expand...

Yes, they are shallow, cheap, and just to dispose them when there is no need more of them.

The kittens being small, wont turn them upside down.

Here's another photo. Someone gave me some Rachel Ray cat food in small containers. It's grain free and chopped finely. They love it!!