someone mention mixing kitten milk with water . what would the ratio be and what kind of kitten milk(powdered or liquid)?
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giving kitten milk and water mixed to feral cats to prevent dehydration?
- Thread starter lisa1950
- Start Date
I would use PetAg' PET LAC but do not trust their previous kitten formula KMR. Some of the bad cans are still out there, but PetLac is brand new. Dilute it twice as much as you would dilute the kitten formula (directions on the can). You can also give them goat's milk, which is available in the dairy department of most big supermarket chains these days. Better yet, if you can find a goat farm near you, or a health food store that carries it, use raw goat's milk. For some reason baby cats an baby goats both thrive on it.
I am raising a semi feral kitten (they let my parents feed them and occasionally pet them). We brought home her and her sister when I estimated they were 6-7 weeks old (I wanted to socialize them in time). I'm worried about what you said of not trusting KMR, have I been mistaken in using it with our kittens?
Some KMR was bad, and if you are used to how the powder should look and sell, no problem because the bad KMR spoiled and is yellow and chunky and smells sour. As for the cans, I don't use them because for some reason we have found the liquid formula tends to give babies diarrhea. The problem cans of KMR and Esbilac are not expired yet, so some could still be on the shelves. If you have used it already and nobody is sick, you should be just fine. The problem was in 2010 and kept showing up years later because expiration date had not been reached. Also some problems were because people did not read the label and did not refrigerate the open can!!
"If the formula is spoiled, it will make kittens sick and, if fed continuously, can be life-threatening to the kittens. A kitten that consumes rancid formula might vomit, have diarrhea, and/or refuse to feed. If feeding using the rancid formula is continued, the kitten might die as a result of dehydration from the diarrhea. Even one feeding can make a kitten sick with diarrhea, which will require treatment with antibiotics. If you believe you have fed rancid formula to kittens, they should be treated by a veterinarian.
PetAg has since changed the way the KMR powder product is manufactured, making it less sensitive to heat stress. But it would still be prudent to sniff each can you open to be sure that the formula has maintained its freshness.
Here's how to determine the difference between rancid powdered KMR and fresh formula that is safe to feed. These tips apply to all brands of powdered kitten milk replacer.
Check the expiration date and discard any cans at or past their expiration dates.
When you open the aluminum pop-top, smell the formula. Safe formula should have a vaguely sweet smell or, at the very least, should smell like powdered milk. If it smells like anything else, no matter how slight, such as chemicals, cheese, bad cooking oil, or even just a slightly "sharp" smell, it is rancid and dangerous to feed to kittens.
Once opened, the can of KMR powdered formula must be refrigerated!
If you believe you have purchased a can of rancid KMR Formula, contact PetAg at 1-800-323-0877 or [email protected]."
"If the formula is spoiled, it will make kittens sick and, if fed continuously, can be life-threatening to the kittens. A kitten that consumes rancid formula might vomit, have diarrhea, and/or refuse to feed. If feeding using the rancid formula is continued, the kitten might die as a result of dehydration from the diarrhea. Even one feeding can make a kitten sick with diarrhea, which will require treatment with antibiotics. If you believe you have fed rancid formula to kittens, they should be treated by a veterinarian.
PetAg has since changed the way the KMR powder product is manufactured, making it less sensitive to heat stress. But it would still be prudent to sniff each can you open to be sure that the formula has maintained its freshness.
Here's how to determine the difference between rancid powdered KMR and fresh formula that is safe to feed. These tips apply to all brands of powdered kitten milk replacer.
Check the expiration date and discard any cans at or past their expiration dates.
When you open the aluminum pop-top, smell the formula. Safe formula should have a vaguely sweet smell or, at the very least, should smell like powdered milk. If it smells like anything else, no matter how slight, such as chemicals, cheese, bad cooking oil, or even just a slightly "sharp" smell, it is rancid and dangerous to feed to kittens.
Once opened, the can of KMR powdered formula must be refrigerated!
If you believe you have purchased a can of rancid KMR Formula, contact PetAg at 1-800-323-0877 or [email protected]."
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #5
is it okay to give adult feral cats "kitten milk" mixed with their water? once daily I feed them once dailly and fresh water .
Other ways to keep feral cats hydrated:
Give them some canned food and add water on top and around the food in a bowl. I feed my feral half a small can of Fancy Feast twice daily and no matter how much water I mix in, he always laps it up--even if he doesn't eat all the food.
Feral cats often won't drink tap water because it tastes weird to them, but putting it in a bowl with a little canned food (even a tablespoon) will make it palatable for them. They also love tuna water (not tuna with oil, but water) and you can dilute the tuna water with tap water to stretch it. Plain chicken broth is also a treat, especially in the winter.
Give them some canned food and add water on top and around the food in a bowl. I feed my feral half a small can of Fancy Feast twice daily and no matter how much water I mix in, he always laps it up--even if he doesn't eat all the food.
Feral cats often won't drink tap water because it tastes weird to them, but putting it in a bowl with a little canned food (even a tablespoon) will make it palatable for them. They also love tuna water (not tuna with oil, but water) and you can dilute the tuna water with tap water to stretch it. Plain chicken broth is also a treat, especially in the winter.
Thank you! You have been extremely informative and I had not heard about this being a first time kitty mama. Always good to learn!
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #8
thanks for your reply.kitten milk would be an add cost. have on hand canned food .have so much more to learn about careing for the feral cat colony.thought wrong about a lot of things. feral cats and tamed cats at my home are cared for in differant ways. thanks again.
