As many of you already know, this time of the year is when kittens are born and we can find ourselves in the situation of having to feed a kitten with a bottle.
It is very important to emphasize that kittens should drink breast milk during their first months of life, but if for some reason it is not possible or you have found a kitten, we want to give you some keys so that you learn to bottle feeding kittens.
What type of milk should be given?
Before starting and giving a kitten a bottle, we will have to take into account what kind of milk it is that it should drink.
The digestion of kittens is very delicate and therefore we must make sure that we give them the correct milk.
You cannot give them cow’s milk or breast milk from other animals. We must give him the bottle with cat’s breast milk. And how do you find mother’s milk? Don’t worry, in specialized pet stores you can find cat’s milk in powder format that you must mix with water.
It is very important that you bear in mind that, even if they eat liquid, this bottle should never replace water. We must provide them with fresh water on a recurring basis.
How often should we bottle the kittens?
During the first weeks we must give them the bottle every 2 or 3 hours. These shots can be progressively separated by 3 or 4 hours.
It is very important to give them the food spaced out in time and not the entire amount at once.
How to bottle kittens?
We come to another of the most important points to take into account. How we should bottle a kitten:
- Have a bottle specially designed for kittens since the milk that comes out is in little quantity compared to other bottles
- The milk should be warm
- Do not wait for the kittens to ask for food and feed them when it corresponds as explained above
- Position the kitten as he would if he suckled from his mother. He should be face down with all the legs as if they were resting on the ground.
It is important that you keep in mind that cats like to knead while they eat so we recommend that you put your hand or a blanket so that it can do it without problems.
And after giving him the bottle?
Once they have eaten, we must take them to the litterbox so that they get used to the fact that it is their place to relieve themselves.
To make them feel comfortable, we recommend that you look for a litter that is well adapted to the needs of kitties.
In addition, their tummies should be massaged in circles to motivate them to perform their needs or to wipe their anus with a wet cloth. In this way we will motivate them to go to the bathroom, a reflection that as children they do not control too well.
We hope that this little guide with the most general guidelines for caring for a kitten has helped and served you. We recommend that in case of any doubt or strange behavior that you see in kittens, you consult a veterinarian to rule out any disease.
If you want more information about kittens or advice, do not hesitate to visit our blog.