How Long Do Kittens Need Formula

When Can You Stop Bottle Feeding Kittens

Be very careful about when you choose to wean.

At about five to six weeks old, a kittens teeth will begin to emerge and they can begin to be weaned off of bottle feeding and can be transitioned to wet food. However, if the kitten is still underweight for their age, continue with bottle feeding for a week or so and check in with their weight daily.

When they are ready to transition to wet food, purchase kitten food. This food is specifically created for kittens, containing more calories and packed with nutrients that kittens need.

According to the Kitten Lady, start with a slurry. Mix a small teaspoon of the kitten food with the formula so that the kitten can become acclimated to the new digestion that will take place. You will likely need to supplement with bottle feeding until the kitten can successfully eat the slurry on their own from a dish. Continue adding more and more kitten food until youve fully transitioned them away from formula.

Switching To Solid Foods

Offer kittens canned food mixed with some KMR during their fourth week of life to get them started on solid foods. You can add some high-quality cat food kibbles, as well. Many kittens like the crunchy texture and will gladly eat it as treats.

Prescription diet food is generally unnecessary for kittens. Choose a dry cat food rich in protein and no grains. Natural Balance foods provide quality proteins without fillers. Kitten foods you find at the grocery store are full of fillers that cause obesity and a variety of cancers in adult cats.

What Are Some Best Practices For Proper Kitten Hygiene

Orphaned kittens require you to pay strict attention to their hygiene for optimal health and development. Follow these best practices for proper kitten hygiene:

• bottles and nipples should be cleaned and then boiled in water to sterilize them between uses.
• never prepare more milk replacer than can be used within 24 hours and always keep it refrigerated.
• discard formula after 1 hour if left at room temperature.
• once or twice each week, gently wash the kittens with a moist cloth.

Recommended Reading: How Old Is My Kittens

Tips For Feeding Kittens Kmr

Kittens do not require a lot of formula. If they overeat, there is a risk that some formula goes down the wrong pipe and enters the lungs. Feeding kittens every two hours is necessary, so give them no more than two ounces to start and increase it as they grow in size.

Hold the kitten in your hand or on your chest and keep it warm. When finished, place the kitten with its siblings in a box that uses a covered heating pad for additional warmth.

What Happens When A Kitten Is Removed From Its Mother Too Soon

If a kitten is taken from its mother and sent to a new home too soon, there can be some serious health consequences. The first few weeks of a kitten’s life are essential for its health and body development. The colostrum and nutrients in the mother’s milk are responsible for strong bone development, eye health, and full organ development, so if a kitten is weaned too soon, you could be increasing the risk of your cat developing more health issues later on. A kitten removed from its mother too soon may need nutritional supplementation and other veterinary care early on in life.

In addition to health concerns, behavioral issues can arise in kittens who were removed from their mothers too early in life. Mother cats teach their kittens’ lifelong lessons and give off calming pheromones. Kittens who left their mothers too soon may have trouble grooming themselves, not know how to bury their waste in the litter box, play too rough, not know how to hunt for food, or have other behavioral problems.

Read Also: When Do Kittens Learn To Use The Litter Box

What Are Some Tips To Encourage The Weaning Process

While weaning can be challenging, remember that kittens are young animals. Donât be surprised if your kitten wants to step in the bowl, bat the pieces, or spill the saucer. Play is a normal and healthy way for them to explore their environment, so be patient and donât rush the process. Things may get messy, so make sure to keep your kitten clean after each feeding.

Show Sources

Alley Cat Allies: âCaring for Neonatal Kittens,â âHow Old Is That Kitten? Kitten Guide: 3 Weeks,ââHow Old Is That Kitten? Kitten Guide: 4 Weeks.â

ASPCA: “Cat Nutrition Tips.”

Caring For Weaned Kittens

By six to seven weeks old, your kittens should be independent eaters. Dry food should be available at all times, but offer wet food 3x a day to maximize growth. Let your kittens eat as much as they want. You generally cannot overfeed a growing kitten.

During this stage its important to socialize kittens and expose them to new situations and environments. Keep experiences positive as they learn about new sounds, smells, places, and faces. Play time provides stimulation, encourages socialization and releases excess energy. Cat toys dont have to be fancy or expensive and they often enjoy playing with something as simple as a paper bag or toilet paper rolls. Be mindful not to leave your foster kittens alone with any toys that could be easily ingested or cause harm to them.

Recommended Reading: Best Otc Flea Meds For Cats

Should I Take In An Abandoned Kitten

Be certain kittens are really abandoned before you disturb a nest. A mom-cat can be harder to spot than the stealth bomber, but just because shes not there now doesnt mean shes not around. If the kittens are clean, plump, and sleeping quietly in a heap, odds are that theyve got an attentive mom and should be left alone. Abandoned kittens will be dirty and the nest will be soiled, and they will cry continuously because theyre hungry. Ideally, kittens should not be taken from the mother until they are five to six weeks of age. However, kittens born to feral mothers should be taken away, if possible, at about four weeks old. At this age, it is easy to tame them and they have gotten a full four weeks worth of the precious antibodies mothers milk provides. As they get older, it gets increasingly harder to tame them. Kittens over the age of eight weeks who have had no human contact will probably take months to tame if it can be done at all.

Making Kitten Formula At Home

Although using commercially formulated kitten milk replacement is recommended, you may not have any available in an emergency. Most adult cats are lactose intolerant and kittens lack the enzymes to properly digest lactose, so cow’s milk is not considered an acceptable substitute as it can cause stomach upset. If kitten milk replacement is unavailable, in an emergency you can make your own using a mixture of karo syrup, goat’s milk, egg yolks, and gelatin.

Recommended Reading: What To Buy When You Get A Kitten

Tips For Caring For Weaned Kittens

• There’s no such thing as “tough love” for kittens. Kittens like to have variety and sometimes begin to crave different textures of food. Their only way of letting you know is by not eating, so watch them closely!

• Weighing your kittens daily is an absolute must. This lets you know that your kitten is eating enough. If your kitten is not gaining weight or staying at the same weight for more than a day or two, you may need to reassess and supplement by bottle or syringe.

• Add in supplements and vitamins such as an immune booster and a probiotic. You can find some great ones that our team uses on our supplies page!

How Do You Make Your Own Kitten Formula

A variety of recipes for homemade kitten formula exist, but if you can purchase a kitten milk replacement from the pet store to use, that is ideal. For times when store-bought milk replacement is not an option, find a recipe for which you have all the ingredients, until you can get some milk replacement formula. A homemade kitten replacement formula should not be used beyond 24 hours .

The following formulas are from The Cornell Book of Cats by the Cornell School of Veterinary Medicine:

Read Also: What Is A Tabby Cat Look Like

Signs A Kitten Is Ready For Weaning

Bottle feeding is necessary until the kitten is 4 to 5 weeks old. Once that age is reached, there are several signs to watch for that signal the kitten is ready to begin the weaning process. When you are feeding the kitten its bottle, watch to see if it starts to bite and chew on the feeding nipple as it nurses. Once the kitten is biting on the nipple, place a small amount of formula onto your finger and see if the kitten licks it off. If it does, it is time to begin the weaning process.

Always make sure the kitten is healthy before weaning them off the bottle. Some kittens should continue bottle-feeding if they are not thriving.

How Do I Teach A Kitten To Eat Solid Food

IOnce a kitten has started trying to eat mom’s food, the process of offering them mushy food can begin.

f you are weaning an orphaned or fostered kitten, plan on serving the kitten milk and food in a shallow saucer or bowl. Donât use cowâs milk, which can cause an upset stomach and diarrhea in some kittens. Instead, use kitten formula.

Gradually mix the formula with wet food and encourage the kitten to eat it on their own. The next step is to adjust the ratio of formula to wet food until the mixture is primarily wet food. Next, mix formula with dry food and repeat the process.

Remember to always provide your kitten with fresh water.

You May Like: How To Get Rid Of Hookworms In Cats

Feeding A Kitten Over 8 Weeks Of Age

Once a kitten has surpassed eight weeks of age, they should be fed twice a day with normal kitten food. Solid food should not be an issue for kittens of this age but they may still try to nurse on occasion. Between eight and ten weeks of age, a kitten should be fully weaned and preparing to leave its mother if you plan to find the kitten a new home. The first vaccinations are typically administered at about eight weeks of age, so when the kittens have a vet visit, you can be sure they have been growing appropriately.

Weeks Four And Five Feeding Schedules

During weeks 4 and 5, a kitten will slowly increase how much food it consumes in a meal. Feedings will occur less frequently and a bowl of formula or other liquid kitten food should be made available for a kitten to start drinking from. By the end of week 5, a kitten should only be nursing three times a day but at each meal it should be consuming about 3 tablespoons of milk or formula.

A kitten should weigh about 14 to 16 oz. by the time it is 4 to 5 weeks of age if it is eating enough food. Towards the end of week five, you should be offering the kitten more food from a saucer than it is consuming from nursing. The food should graduate from being a liquid to eventually more of a gruel by using less and less water with canned kitten food over the course of a couple of weeks. This will be a messy stage of a kitten’s life since it usually ends up walking in the food, but it is a necessary step to begin weaning it off of its mother’s milk.

Also Check: Cat Bag Couture Christine Baumgartner

Can I Feed The Kitten With A Baby Bottle

When you feed a kitten, you should make sure that they are laying on their bellies or sitting up. Unlike human babies which are typically fed while in a reclined position, kittens should be placed as if they were nursing from their mother. If kittens are placed on their backs and held, they might be unable to wriggle away if they are being fed too much or too quickly and risk drowning.

You should purchase a bottle specifically designed for feeding kittens. Human nipples and cat nipples vary widely in size and so a human baby bottle nipple will be much too large for a kitten.

There are plenty of kitten feeding bottles and nipples available for purchase online and at pet stores. Be aware that with some nipples you may need to cut a hole yourself. Make sure that the hole is very small and drips out slowly or you risk the kitten drowning in the formula.

How Do I Feed A Newborn Kitten

Kittens under 4 weeks of age cannot eat solid food, whether itâs dry or canned. They can drink their motherâs milk to get the nutrients they need. The kitten will rely on you to survive if their mother isnât around.

You can feed your newborn kitten a nutritional substitute thatâs called kitten milk replacer. Itâs essential that you avoid feeding a kitten the same milk that humans consume. Typical cowâs milk can make cats very sick. If youâre unsure of which kitten milk replacer to choose, talk to a veterinarian. They can help you select the right one.

For many dry milk replacers, refrigeration is not always required. But if extra milk is prepared, it should be stored in the fridge. To feed your kitten, follow these steps:

Prepare the formula. Warm the kitten formula to slightly above room temperature. Test the temperature of the formula right before you feed your kitten. Do this by placing a few drops of the formula on your wrist to ensure itâs not too hot.

Keep things clean. Before and after each feeding, you should wash your hands and the bottle that you used to feed your kitten. Itâs also recommended that you use a âkitten gown.â This could be a robe or a shirt that you only wear when youâre handling or feeding your kitten. Using a kitten gown helps reduce the possibility of spreading germs.

If for any reason you canât get your kitten to eat, contact your veterinarian immediately.

Don’t Miss: Do Cats And Dogs Have Belly Buttons

Homemade Kitten Formula Vs Store

If you havent consulted your vet about making kitten formula at home, then its recommended you stick to a store-bought option, as these formulas are made to match mothers milk and contain all the vital nutrients a kitten needs to grow strong.

Most veterinarians do not recommend that owners create their own kitten at home, Dr. Carling Matejka, a veterinarian working with Solid Gold, told The Dodo. Kitten diets need a precise ratio of minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates, protein and fat for the kitten to develop into a healthy adult cat.

Dr. Matejka said that nutritional deficiencies can have lifelong, and sometimes deathly, effects on a young kitten, so it is best to stick to a nutritionally balanced, commercial diet.

Store-purchased diets have many advantages, including being nutritionally balanced for growth, being -stable, palatable, easy and cost-effective, she continued.

But, if youre interested in how to formulate kitten milk replacer at home, it is highly recommended to book a consult with a board-certified veterinary nutritionist so they can formulate a specific diet that is balanced and safe for kittens, Dr. Matejka said.

What Can You Do With Expired Formula Powder

Expired or used-up formulas can be safely disposed of. Throw them away immediately because they are not safe for use and may potentially harm your child in some way, even if its just an upset stomach from eating contaminated food. The general rule is that a bottle will last 2 hours at room temperature unless heated.

Read Also: How To Calm Down A Kitten When Hyper

Don’t Miss: Can Dogs Eat Cat Food Dry

How Long Should A Kitten Stay With Its Mother

Kittens should stay with their mothers for 12 to 13 weeks of age for them to be properly developed physically and behaviorally. The kitten needs to be weaned before being placed in a new home because much of its nutrients comes from the mother cat’s milk. If they are weaned too soon, it could lead to the risk of future health issues or more veterinary visits.

Staying with their mother for 12-13 weeks will help them receive the necessary nutrients to healthily and fully develop and be socialized. The extra time will allow them to play and communicate with their littermates, so they can easily adapt to their new home situation once adopted or purchased.

Feeding Kittens 4 To 5 Weeks Old

By the time a kitten is about 4 weeks old, its often ready to start eating solid food. Introduce solid food slowly into their diet by mixing a little canned kitten food with milk replacer on a tablespoon. It may take a few tries, but eventually, your kitten will be interested enough to begin lapping up the mixture on its own. Sometimes it helps to gently rub a tiny bit of canned food on the kittens lips to give them a little sampling of whats available. Never rush this process. A kitten will begin eating solid foods on their own schedulea timeline that can vary from kitten to kitten.

Meanwhile, keep offering milk replacer in a bottle to make sure the kitten is maintaining their weight and getting all the nutrition they require. Weighing your kitten every day or so is also a good way to be sure your pet is gaining weight and developing properly. Make sure to provide a shallow bowl of fresh water once the kitten reaches 4 weeks of age.

Read Also: Best Flea And Tick For Cats