Can A Kitten Survive...

[Gatomons]

...without their mothers milk completely at only one month old?

I have started taking in kittens whose families need them gone asap, and then rehoming them. UNFORTUNATELY and I'm sorry, but I ended up with an idiot woman thinking that it was okay to give me her 4 week old kittens who apparently was "bothering the mama cat."
Originally the kittens were 6 weeks, but once seeing them uhhhh NOPE they definitely aren't. Way too small also she said they were drinking water and eating hard food... meanwhile the little guys were trying to suckle from my current rescue kittens. T_T
Thankfully I have found a shelter to give them to, but they are here for the night. Will they be ok? Hopefully the lady will pick them up in the a.m....

Few more questions... Can a kitten have regular baby formula for now? If not why is it the cows milk? & is it actually ok to give them hard food? ergh...

 

[kashmir64]

At 1 month they still need KMR. KMR stage 2 has all the essentials for a kitten. However adding goats milk to the mixture is ideal.
The regular KMR you get at the store has colostrum in it. So if you're feeding either, then the kitten will be fine.

 

[Willowy]

If they have teeth give them some canned food, or, if you don't have any canned food, mash up some dry food with water or formula.

If they don't have teeth, formula only. You can use human baby formula in a pinch, but mix it double strength.

 

[StefanZ]

Gatomons Goats milk is good. KMR in powder is of course a good alternative. Best is stage 1, some kittens react to stage 2. So I recommend stage 1 thorough even for older kittens.
Human baby formula is OK in a pinch, but make it less diluted than for a human baby.
We dont recommend cow milk. But youghurt is OK!
In a pinch you can try with such a treat kitten milk, or even lactose free milk.

If you dont have nothing, you can always give them some water with a little honey or white caro syrup in. The glucose sugar there will make they will survive on it. They wont thriwe, but they will survive.

 

[kashmir64]

KMR in powder is of course a good alternative. Best is stage 1, some kittens react to stage 2. So I recommend stage 1 thorough even for older kittens.

I've never actually used stage 2, only ever stage 1 until the kittens were around 9-10 months. Didn't know some kittens have reactions. Thanks for that advice.
Learn something new everyday.

Edit: oops, meant weeks not months.

 

[Gatomons]

Thank you everyone!! The shelter took the one,but not the other so now I'm wondering how to stimulate him to pee/poo? He hasn't gone all night and now it's evening!! I checked the cage and nothing.

StefanZ kashmir64

 

[kashmir64]

Take a warm damp cloth and gently rub the areas. Don't rub too hard or for too long. Around 30-40 seconds should be more than adequate.

 

[talkingpeanut]

Thank you for rescuing these kittens! Why did the shelter only take one?

I would also recommend that you talk to the original owners about spaying and neutering, and help them to make arrangements if they’ll allow. Otherwise, this will keep happening.

 

[Gatomons]

@kashmir64 Thank you!! I still have both right now. My friend thought she could handle taking the one, but it's too time consuming. I was annoyed because she has already done this several times and she's knows it is an all day thing. Anyways turns out both kittens don't need the rub and they are using the tiny litter box just fine.

talkingpeanut I deleted their number already I didn't want to get rude with them. I'm sure they already know all about that anyways. They have 20$ programs where you can get your cat neutered/spayed for only 20$ so idk why people don't take it up. It's a limited program though and you have to be within a postal code area.. it changes every month. It's so nice to have! I was able to get oe of the other rescues neutered next month, but the other I'll have to pay full price. I love doing this. Makes kitty lives happier. <3