Milk needed for new born kittens urgently. Please advice

[Dheeksha]

Last night a 6 month old kitten in my backyard gave birth to two babies. One was stuck and she was not able to deliver that kitten. Today I brought her to the hospital. They are performing an emergency surgery right now. vet said she can't feed her kittens for 24 hrs. after the surgery. What should I feed her two kittens now. Ordered for KMR.. but it will deliver to me in 5 days. There are some other milk powders for kittens available in our country. I don't know how safe are they to use. Please somebody tell me what should I feed them now. They are not even 1 day old.
Vet told to give them goat milk. I m thinking of buying this as for now https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...Qjjh6BAgHEAE&usg=AOvVaw0w9cCpH1Otrk1LZZHlASyf.
Is it okay or should I give them goat milk? Please reply. Very important

 

[Caspers Human]

Goat's milk is an acceptable milk substitute for kittens.

It's not ideal but it will get them along well enough for them to get back to their mother.

 

[Dheeksha]

Goat's milk is an acceptable milk substitute for kittens.

It's not ideal but it will get them along well enough for them to get back to their mother.

Tried for it.. didn't find goat milk anywhere. I will try for it tomorrow again. Another vet suggested me to use infant formula Nestle Lactogen 1. Can I use it? kittens are very young. I don't know how much should I mix it in water.

 

[Sarthur2]

Can you find powdered goat milk? It works as well as fresh. Human infant formula must be mixed to double strength for kittens if used and is not ideal.

Another formula is one can of evaporated milk, one egg yolk, and 2 tablespoons of honey.

See this link:
PetCoach - Ask a Vet Online 24/7

You may need to supplement for another day or two even when the kittens begin nursing.

Here is a helpful video for syringe feeding kittens. You must be very careful that they do not aspirate formula into their lungs. Use a tiny syringe (1 or 2 mL) or a dropper.

Syringe Feeding — Kitten Lady

Thank you for helping this kitten and her babies! Do keep us posted!

Dheeksha

 

[Dheeksha]

Can you find powdered goat milk? It works as well as fresh. Human infant formula must be mixed to double strength for kittens if used and is not ideal.

Another formula is one can of evaporated milk, one egg yolk, and 2 tablespoons of honey.

See this link:
PetCoach - Ask a Vet Online 24/7

You may need to supplement for another day or two even when the kittens begin nursing.

Here is a helpful video for syringe feeding kittens. You must be very careful that they do not aspirate formula into their lungs. Use a tiny syringe (1 or 2 mL) or a dropper.

Syringe Feeding — Kitten Lady

Thank you for helping this kitten and her babies! Do keep us posted!

Dheeksha

Double the strength means how much? Can u pls elaborate

 

[Sarthur2]

Double means twice the amount of powder but same amount of water.

 

[catsknowme]

Any updates on the new babies? Be sure to use boiled or bottled water. The formula should be 100-102° Farenheit. Never heat formula directly in a microwave - heat the water (either stovetop or microwave) in a cup and put the bottle in that. I need to go to work, but will check in later.

 

[StefanZ]

Tried for it.. didn't find goat milk anywhere. I will try for it tomorrow again. Another vet suggested me to use infant formula Nestle Lactogen 1. Can I use it? kittens are very young. I don't know how much should I mix it in water.

as said, infant milk is ok. But dilute less; that is the meaning of double strengh. All goats milk is ok; raw if you can get, but powdered is ok... Meyenberg has a good brand of powdered goats milk.

Even puppy milk should be OK to begin with, even if not optimal.

RAW cow milk is useful if you are desperate enough. Farmers use it for their rescued kittens, they usually make it if not sick by themselves. but pasteurized and processed cow milk is much worse.

 

[StefanZ]

Any updates on the new babies? Be sure to use boiled or bottled water. The formula should be 100-102° Farenheit. Never heat formula directly in a microwave - heat the water (either stovetop or microwave) in a cup and put the bottle in that. I need to go to work, but will check in later.

Yes. IF you anyway use micro for formula, be sure you shake it well around. Because the micro heats un uneven; there are local bubbles with superhot fluid, and otherwise more even temp... So its easy to burn an infants mouth if not verry careful...

 

[Dheeksha]

Double means twice the amount of powder but same amount of water.

This lactogen I m feeding them now is not at all sufficient to them. Kittens are constantly meowing. Please give me some advice to save them.

 

[Sarthur2]

Get puppy formula or put them on their mother! They are hungry but also crying for mom. How much and how often do you feed?

Is mom home? How is she doing?

Dheeksha

 

[catsknowme]

Also.make sure that they have peed by gently rubbing their genital area with a damp, soft cloth or cotton ball or even your fingers - they need to be stimulated to pee & poop ( mama dogs & cats do this by licking). Also, be sure that their nest is warm enough. Ambient air temperature should be around 95-98° Farenheit and draft-free. I put them in a cozy nest with a very warm rice-or-cornmeal filled sock inside a box that's covered with a towel. If they are warm, fed and have peed/pooped, consider gas
Also, be sure to burp them after feeding. Try rubbing their tummies and if they are still gassy, try adding infant simethicone gas drops

 

[Sarthur2]

Please update when you can!

 

[Dheeksha]

Please update when you can!

One kitten is doing fine now. And the other kitten got breathing problem since yesterday. Mama Kitten has been completely recovered. Sorry for the late update. The last two weeks was very exhausting. Mama Kitten took nearly a week to get back to normal after the surgery. She was severely constipated too. I have had to syringe feed her for a week. The kittens didnt gain weight much. It was so hard. They were approx. 55 - 60 gms. when they were born. It's been 2 weeks. Now one kitten weighs 160 gms. and the other weighs only 135 gms. That night after the surgery I gave them lactogen. It was not working. I called few vets. Some of them suggested me absolute milk for new born kittens. It is an Indian brand. They were stable after I gave them that. After 4 days I gave them Hartz KMR powder. Somebody said it's is not that good. So I started giving them PetLac KMR after 10 days. Mama Kitten is also feeding them simultaneously. I have changed so many brands. Does that cause any problem?

 

[Dheeksha]

Also.make sure that they have peed by gently rubbing their genital area with a damp, soft cloth or cotton ball or even your fingers - they need to be stimulated to pee & poop ( mama dogs & cats do this by licking). Also, be sure that their nest is warm enough. Ambient air temperature should be around 95-98° Farenheit and draft-free. I put them in a cozy nest with a very warm rice-or-cornmeal filled sock inside a box that's covered with a towel. If they are warm, fed and have peed/pooped, consider gas
Also, be sure to burp them after feeding. Try rubbing their tummies and if they are still gassy, try adding infant simethicone gas drops

Yeah I am rubbing with cotton balls. And patting them gently on their back. Mama Kitten is also taking care of them. But still one of the kitten's tummy looks bloated. Rubbed his belly with my finger. Kitten is breathing heavily since yesterday. I will take him to the vet today.. But you guys give me better advice than the vets here. What could be the reason for his breathing issues?

 

[Dheeksha]

Get puppy formula or put them on their mother! They are hungry but also crying for mom. How much and how often do you feed?

Is mom home? How is she doing?

Dheeksha

Yes I kept them with their mama after she woke up. Mama Kitten meowed for her kittens as soon as she woke up.

 

[Sarthur2]

The kitten sounds like it needs antibiotics for a respiratory infection. Do get it to the vet ASAP.

Only use Petlac formula.

Keep us updated!

 

[Dheeksha]

Mama kitten had to go through an emergency surgery. She fed her kittens for the first 16 hours. After that I bottle fed them for the next two days. After their mother started giving them milk I am giving them the KMR as a supplement only. They were only 55 - 60 gms. when they were born. They are 2 weeks old now. Now the first kitten weighs around 140 gms. And the second kitten is 162 gms. The first kitten was born backward. Mama kitten was not able to give birth. I had to take the kitten out by myself. The kitten was not breathing initially. I did CPR for him. He started breathing immediately. For the first 3 days his pee has green tint in it. But it became pale yellow after that. After 6-7 days of birth he stopped sucking and was having breathing issues. Actually he was little weak then. Other kitten was pushing him as there were only 4 nipples and all the other nipples were covered with bandage. I started giving him the kitten formula again and he started sucking normally again. He was fine until yesterday. Now again he has become weak and breathing heavily. But trying to suck milk from the mother. He is sucking for few minutes and stopping. And I haven't seen him pooping. Mama kitten was licking them. So I don't know whether he is pooping or not. I don't understand what's going on with him. I don't know whether it is gas, dehydration, constipation or infection. Please tell me what y'all think. I will take him to the vet today.. but you people know much better than them. If you give me some suggestions. It will help me to discuss about his health condition with the vet.
( I forgot to mention Mama kitten had a pasty like discharge from her vagina before giving birth. It was in light green color.)

 

[Dheeksha]

The kitten sounds like it needs antibiotics for a respiratory infection. Do get it to the vet ASAP.

Only use Petlac formula.

Keep us updated!

I am currently feeding them PetLac only. But Kittens didn't like Petlac. They liked hartz milk though. So I had to force them a little. I am scared that I might hurt them. Is it ok to give them the antibiotics at this age? I think the vet won't agree to give them. If it is constipation or gas what should I do?

 

[catsknowme]

Thank you for the update! It could be that the kitten with breathing problems had aspirated some of the formula and would need a gentle antibiotic such as amoxicillin but the vet is the best judge of that. After bottle feeding, kittens need to be burped, just like a human baby. You can try gently rubbing upwards on their shoulder blades and holding them on your shoulder & lightly move them up and down. A few drops of infant's simethicone gas drops can be added to their bottle.