Hello! This week I am watching my parents dogs and cats. Their mother cat had kittens on June 24th, and today while going to feed her, I found her missing. I looked everywhere for her and eventually found she was ran over by a car maybe sometime this morning. The kittens aren't very young, but were still drinking milk, all their eyes are open and they walk around, but I'm not sure how to get them to bottlefeed. They don't really eat the soft cat food I've tried to give them. There are six of them, all seem healthy but won't take the bottle. Any advice?
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Need Help With Kittens!!
- Thread starter Jjbirdy92
- Start Date
So sorry to hear about the mama cat 
That's tragic.
Try making a slurry of kitten wet food and kitten milk replacer. They're a bit young to eat solid food, it's usually recommended to start kittens on wet food at around four weeks of age, but they'll be four weeks old by this weekend. Mix the kitten milk replacer and wet food together until it's an almost liquid consistency and see if you can feed it to them off your fingers. They may have an easier time licking it off of you instead of adjusting to the bottle this late in the game. If you want to continue with the bottle you should make sure that they're in the right position, belly down and face up at a slight incline.
Check out the kitten lady on youtube for a TON of excellent videos on taking care of kittens. She has amazing videos showing you the proper technique for bottle feeding as well as a bunch of other tips on taking care of young kittens like how to stimulate them to pee and poop, weighing them properly, socializing them properly, etc. Spend some time watching her instructional videos and it'll make a world of difference!
That's tragic. Try making a slurry of kitten wet food and kitten milk replacer. They're a bit young to eat solid food, it's usually recommended to start kittens on wet food at around four weeks of age, but they'll be four weeks old by this weekend. Mix the kitten milk replacer and wet food together until it's an almost liquid consistency and see if you can feed it to them off your fingers. They may have an easier time licking it off of you instead of adjusting to the bottle this late in the game. If you want to continue with the bottle you should make sure that they're in the right position, belly down and face up at a slight incline.
Check out the kitten lady on youtube for a TON of excellent videos on taking care of kittens. She has amazing videos showing you the proper technique for bottle feeding as well as a bunch of other tips on taking care of young kittens like how to stimulate them to pee and poop, weighing them properly, socializing them properly, etc. Spend some time watching her instructional videos and it'll make a world of difference!
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3
Thank you!!! I don't care about bottlefeeding them, just about getting them fed, so I will try the soft food mixed. I will watch her videos though if they won't eat the food mix!!So sorry to hear about the mama cat
Try making a slurry of kitten wet food and kitten milk replacer. They're a bit young to eat solid food, it's usually recommended to start kittens on wet food at around four weeks of age, but they'll be four weeks old by this weekend. Mix the kitten milk replacer and wet food together until it's an almost liquid consistency and see if you can feed it to them off your fingers. They may have an easier time licking it off of you instead of adjusting to the bottle this late in the game. If you want to continue with the bottle you should make sure that they're in the right position, belly down and face up at a slight incline.
Check out the kitten lady on youtube for a TON of excellent videos on taking care of kittens. She has amazing videos showing you the proper technique for bottle feeding as well as a bunch of other tips on taking care of young kittens like how to stimulate them to pee and poop, weighing them properly, socializing them properly, etc. Spend some time watching her instructional videos and it'll make a world of difference!
No problem!
Kittens between 3-4 weeks should eat between 14 and 18 ml of food every 5-6 hours. 15 ml is about a tablespoon. You should try to weigh them to make sure they're at a normal weight, knowing that will help you determine how much they should be eating and gaining. There are tons of charts online that show a normal weight and the amount that should be fed to help them continue gaining.
Since they're almost 4 weeks old you can also start with litter box training now. If you stimulate them to pee or poop (there's a great video on that by the kitten lady) you can use the tissue or cotton ball to help them start litter box training.
Get a small, shallow box (a regular cat box will be way too big at this point) and fill it up with just enough litter to cover the bottom. Don't use scented or clumping litter at this point, an unscented clay based litter is best. Make sure they're not around when you pour it so they're not exposed to tons of dust. Put the used tissue or cotton ball in the litter box and place the kittens in it every so often. They should get the hint soon. Don't clean the litter box immediately, you want the scent to be an indicator that they should go there. Once they start using it consistently you can begin cleaning it whenever you notice stuff is in there.
Post pics if you can!! I wish you and the kittens all the best, and I hope your parents are comforted when experiencing the loss of their cat knowing that you'll take very good care of the kittens in her place.
Kittens between 3-4 weeks should eat between 14 and 18 ml of food every 5-6 hours. 15 ml is about a tablespoon. You should try to weigh them to make sure they're at a normal weight, knowing that will help you determine how much they should be eating and gaining. There are tons of charts online that show a normal weight and the amount that should be fed to help them continue gaining.
Since they're almost 4 weeks old you can also start with litter box training now. If you stimulate them to pee or poop (there's a great video on that by the kitten lady) you can use the tissue or cotton ball to help them start litter box training.
Get a small, shallow box (a regular cat box will be way too big at this point) and fill it up with just enough litter to cover the bottom. Don't use scented or clumping litter at this point, an unscented clay based litter is best. Make sure they're not around when you pour it so they're not exposed to tons of dust. Put the used tissue or cotton ball in the litter box and place the kittens in it every so often. They should get the hint soon. Don't clean the litter box immediately, you want the scent to be an indicator that they should go there. Once they start using it consistently you can begin cleaning it whenever you notice stuff is in there.
Post pics if you can!! I wish you and the kittens all the best, and I hope your parents are comforted when experiencing the loss of their cat knowing that you'll take very good care of the kittens in her place.
J
Jjbirdy92
They are only 3 weeks old, so you'll need to syringe feed all six kittens several times a day until they wean.
Kittens wean best starting at 5 weeks. They must be at least 4 weeks and have teeth to eat.
I do hope you are keeping the kittens 100% inside. It's a shame mom was allowed out to get run over.
The kittens will need feeding every 4 hours around the clock, as much kitten formula as they will eat, but at least 96mLs apiece each 24 hour period. This means 16mLs per kitten every 4 hours.
Have you bought KMR yet? The powdered PetAg in the can is best.
They may begin lapping it on their own in a week; maybe not.
You can keep trying the bottle, but they must eat or risk dehydration, so you must get the formula in them with a syringe if need be.
Let us know how this goes.
They are only 3 weeks old, so you'll need to syringe feed all six kittens several times a day until they wean.
Kittens wean best starting at 5 weeks. They must be at least 4 weeks and have teeth to eat.
I do hope you are keeping the kittens 100% inside. It's a shame mom was allowed out to get run over.
The kittens will need feeding every 4 hours around the clock, as much kitten formula as they will eat, but at least 96mLs apiece each 24 hour period. This means 16mLs per kitten every 4 hours.
Have you bought KMR yet? The powdered PetAg in the can is best.
They may begin lapping it on their own in a week; maybe not.
You can keep trying the bottle, but they must eat or risk dehydration, so you must get the formula in them with a syringe if need be.
Let us know how this goes.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #6
I'll look around for a syringe, but I'm not sure if they have one here. I don't have a car to go get one, I just asked a family member closeby to go buy the formula. Only one will drink from the bottle, do you think maybe it was too cold for them? She drank after I had warmed it up a good bit. Now won't drink anymore because it's gone cold again.
Continue warming the bottle by placing it in warm water.
What are you giving the kittens in the bottle?
Do you have a dropper? If not, ask the family member to stop at a pharmacy and ask for a needleless syringe.
What are you giving the kittens in the bottle?
Do you have a dropper? If not, ask the family member to stop at a pharmacy and ask for a needleless syringe.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #8
These poor kittens have probably not eaten since sometime last night or early this morning. They are probably starving.
Wrap the kittens in a towel like a burrito with only the head sticking out to prevent squirming.
Make sure the nipple hole is big enough but not too big. Try squeezing a couple drops into their mouths so they know what it is.
They really need to eat.
Wrap the kittens in a towel like a burrito with only the head sticking out to prevent squirming.
Make sure the nipple hole is big enough but not too big. Try squeezing a couple drops into their mouths so they know what it is.
They really need to eat.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #10
J
Jjbirdy92
This is why you need a syringe. They are hungry, I assure you. They just want their mama. They are accustomed to her nipples, not the bottle.
With the syringe, they do not need to suckle. You can squeeze the drops of milk in a little at a time, allowing time for them to swallow. They will catch on at some point.
Where are you located?
This is why you need a syringe. They are hungry, I assure you. They just want their mama. They are accustomed to her nipples, not the bottle.
With the syringe, they do not need to suckle. You can squeeze the drops of milk in a little at a time, allowing time for them to swallow. They will catch on at some point.
Where are you located?
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #12
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- #13
I can try to find one, but I do worry I'll squeeze too much in. I've been trying to squeeze a few drops in with the bottle and some seem to be okay with it but the others don't. Right now I am in Texas, I will be going this Sunday back to Oklahoma where i live with the kittens as my parents do not want them and don't know how to care for them.
J
Jjbirdy92
Is there a vet open tonight? You need to put them in a carrier and go let a vet tech show you how to feed them.
You have to keep trying to feed.
They will grow lethargic by tomorrow.
Is there a no-kill shelter near you?
You may want to turn the kittens in tomorrow so an experienced foster can raise them until they can be adopted.
Otherwise the kittens will starve to death. Their systems will begin to shut down without food.
Is there a vet open tonight? You need to put them in a carrier and go let a vet tech show you how to feed them.
You have to keep trying to feed.
They will grow lethargic by tomorrow.
Is there a no-kill shelter near you?
You may want to turn the kittens in tomorrow so an experienced foster can raise them until they can be adopted.
Otherwise the kittens will starve to death. Their systems will begin to shut down without food.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #15
I'm not sure if there's a vet open but even if there was I don't have a car to take them, or money. I have bottlefed kittens before they just weren't as old and used to a mother. They took the milk right away. I found a syringe and it seemed to help. About how many tablespoons would each kitten need every time I fed them if I feed them every 4 hours?
They will need one tablespoon each every 4 hours, and more if they want it.
If your syringe is marked with cc's or mL's, it's 15-16 mL's/cc's per kitten every 4 hours.
Set a clock. I hope they begin to eat better and more willingly. Most do once they catch on.
If your syringe is marked with cc's or mL's, it's 15-16 mL's/cc's per kitten every 4 hours.
Set a clock. I hope they begin to eat better and more willingly. Most do once they catch on.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #17
That's good! It's easier to work with a small syringe. Put the tip in the side of the kitten's mouth, not the front. Just the tip.
You'll keep re-filling it. Put the kitten formula in a glass and place the glass in warm water to keep the milk warm - not hot.
I hope this works better for you. You've got a big job ahead of you.
You'll keep re-filling it. Put the kitten formula in a glass and place the glass in warm water to keep the milk warm - not hot.
I hope this works better for you. You've got a big job ahead of you.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #19
That's what I mainly was doing was putting it in the side of their mouth since they won't open their mouths. Okay ill continue to do that. Will they meow when they get hungry? They meowed for a bit, then I got a few more to eat and they soon all fell asleep.
They may or may not meow when hungry. You need to feed them every 4 hours regardless. Wake them up. They are already behind in their eating.
And keep track of each kitten fed and how much it eats. They need to begin eating the proper amount soon in order to thrive.
And keep track of each kitten fed and how much it eats. They need to begin eating the proper amount soon in order to thrive.
