how much i should feed??

ibiabiubis

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The kittens are almost a month old
But there mom is always beggin for food
I feed her a handful three times a day
but it seems its not enough what do you think
i feed her cat chow indoor formula

when should i start feeding the kittens and how
what about a litter box do they need one already??
 

beckiboo

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A handful three times a day doesn't sound like enough to me. Growing animals (and people) burn a LOT of calories, and she is feeding herself and the kittens.

When I have a nursing Mom, I feed them kitten chow instead of cat chow. I leave dry down all the time, a big bowl. So she can eat as much as she wants. Then it is nice to add canned food once or twice a day to encourage her to eat enough to be able to feed the babies.
 

wellingtoncats

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Is Cat Chow a high quality good? nursing mothers need high quality food. Preferably Growth/kitten food and feed them as much as they will eat.

If they are out of their box and wondering around, I would give them a litter tray for sure. If they were my kittens I would start feeding them now, they will stop when they've eaten enough. Start off with goats milk or kitten formula.
 
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ibiabiubis

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so how much portions i should give her and how many times??
 

gardenandcats

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A nursing mother should be free fed as much as she wants of a high quailty cat food!
 

beckiboo

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Start with a cup of kitten formula food. See how long it takes her to eat that. If it lasts over 24 hours, it is probably a little too much. If it is gone in 6 hours, she needs more!

Basically, she needs to have as much food available for her to eat all the time, so she can provide enough nutrition to the kittens to keep them healthy.

Once the kittens start getting into her food and eating it, just be sure she always has some available. I have seen a hungry male kitten chase his mom away from the food bowl. When my kittens start eating solids, I usually put several bowls out on a large plastic mat. I moisten some with kitten formula, so the kittens can eat it. If Momma eats it too, that is fine. Really, she just needs lots of nutrition right now!

If you continue feeding her three times a day, please at least make sure she has as much as she wants at each meal. Just put down a big bowl full, and if she empties it add more. If she walks away before it is gone, you can pick it up until the next feeding.
 

semiferal

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She must be allowed to eat as much as she wants. This is the time when she needs more food than ever before. The kittens are growing very fast and every calorie they consume, their mom has to eat first. Plus she is recovering from the birth. Give her unlimited quantities of food.

Cat chow indoor formula is also definitely not a suitable food for a nursing mother. It is a lower calorie food for cats who don't get much activity. A nursing mother needs more calories than at any other point in life, more even than in kittenhood or during pregnancy. No wonder she is hungry all the time! She must eat kitten food. Purina Kitten Chow is acceptable if you do not have access to any other foods. Iams Kitten or Purina One Kitten would be better. Ideally you should go to a pet supply store and get Nutro Kitten or another very high quality kitten or cat/kitten food.
 
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