anyone with experience bottle feeding orphaned kittens

[FLmom]

I really need some advice. Ive gotten such conflicting information that I am frustrated and confused. The vet gave me goats milk for him because he was dehydrating on the KMR stuff and didnt seem to eat much. I was told he was also aspirating on what he was eating and he needed to eat more more more but be careful.

I come home with he goats milk and he began eating like a little piggy. 3x as much as before. Then I read on the internet that goats milk is bad and causes diarrhea. But hes always had diarrhea he is a orphaned kitten and his system has to adjust right? Then I read from several different sites consistently that many add pedialyte to kitten formula to help with dehydration. I had gatorade so I have been using a tiny bit of that. Then I read dont over feed more than their stomach capacity. But the vet said just feed him as much as he will eat. But Im serious when I say he wont stop eating. He sucks down double what the internet chart says he should for his weight and he still acts starved to death.

Also I am so confused with his actual age. Vet says 3.5 weeks but yet his weight is in the 1 week old stage. So according to his weight his stomach cant hold what he is eating. His stools are not all that great but seem to be improving. There is also some very bright red blood in it. I took him to the vet for that today and they gave me ointment to put on his bum but didint really examine him.

So I have no idea if I should feed him like a 3-4 week old or more like a 1-2 week old. I am worried he is suffering from stuffing his belly but not eliminating the same amount. This evening he was so desperately hungry I did what one site suggested for a 3.5 week old kitten and mixed a slurry of formula kitten food and baby meat used a syringe to feed it to him and he sucked that down too and still wanted more. I didnt feed him more but my plan is to wait an hour or so and then I feed him again. He isnt freaking out starved but he is acting unsettled still.

anyone have any insight or experiences that may help me out?

Thanks

 

[zoo mom]

If the kitten is underweight and underdeveloped for his age he may be trying to make up for lost time.

 

[Mizzely]

I would check out www.thecatsite.com They have a lot of very experienced people on there about situations like this

 

[Emmilyy]

Any possibility of finding a nursing momma cat to take this baby in?

 

[fluffypoptarts]

Any possibility of finding a nursing momma cat to take this baby in?

Well, I think she had decided not to keep a previous kitten because of her birdy:

OK I Have to ask,,,,,,,to those with cats and parrots | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

 

[Emmilyy]

Well, I think she had decided not to keep a previous kitten because of her birdy:

OK I Have to ask,,,,,,,to those with cats and parrots | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

No, I don't mean for her to take in a mother cat. I meant find someone who has a nursing mom (call vets, shelters, etc) and see if the mom would accept another kitten

 

[FLmom]

Hello I’m back to check replies and appreciate the cat website reference. I will post my questions there too. I volunteer with my daughter at our local humane society so that’s how I have come across this bottle baby kitty as they call it. I was not prepared and it was terrible timing but when is it ever a good time really and with out me taking this baby he was going to die so here I am.

They gave me their best advice from their experience and I have learned in the past week that much of this is trial and error. He wasnt doing well on the KMR powder so a vet tech gave me some goats milk and he has been thriving on that. I just decided to take all info with a grain of salt and reach for my innner mommy and do what seems best. I got baby food and kitten pate and mixed it with goats milk and kmr milk he ate that by syringe after his bottle and was finally satisfied. He had an awesome poop shortly after and he really looks good this morning. So I’m just going to stick to this routine and get on that cat site for some potty training tips.

I think I have a 2/3 week old baby that was just under size and under developed. He has to be atleast 3 weeks because his teeth a popping through now. Here is a picture of him after his big meal this morning.

 

[FLmom]

I should also add that kai is so NOT impressed he doesn’t get near the kitty but he knows something is making weird noises and keeping his mama way way WAY too busy

 

[Emmilyy]

I really would try and find a nursing mom cat if you can. Not that I think you're doing a bad job!! Sometimes bottle babies have to stay bottle babies. But kittens do really benefit from socializing with other kittens and learning from their mom at a young age. He is adorable!

 

[FLmom]

I really would try and find a nursing mom cat if you can. Not that I think you're doing a bad job!! Sometimes bottle babies have to stay bottle babies. But kittens do really benefit from socializing with other kittens and learning from their mom at a young age. He is adorable!

I totally agree and I wondered why the humane society wouldn’t just put this baby with some moms they already have. I’m sure they have their reason because they sorta said the mamas we have are done and done have enough milk to sustain a new kitten. I dunno but I do know that bottle fed kittens have issues with using the litter box appropriately because the mama and litter mates is where they are taught their hygiene

 

[Fritzgerald16]

I've bottle fed many kittens (and a couple full litters!) and it is A LOT of work! I would set a timer every 1.5 to 2 hours and feed as much as he/she wants. Goats milk is fine if it wasnt doing well on the other. With a schedule hopefully it doesn't over eat, sometimes over eating can cause diarrhea.
It is a little cutie! Good luck!!
Also I don't know if it's just the picture but it's one eye looks a little goopy, you can use a warm damp washcloth to wipe any eye goobers off to prevent er infections, they are so susceptible to them at that age

 

[FLmom]

I've bottle fed many kittens (and a couple full litters!) and it is A LOT of work! I would set a timer every 1.5 to 2 hours and feed as much as he/she wants. Goats milk is fine if it wasnt doing well on the other. With a schedule hopefully it doesn't over eat, sometimes over eating can cause diarrhea.
It is a little cutie! Good luck!!
Also I don't know if it's just the picture but it's one eye looks a little goopy, you can use a warm damp washcloth to wipe any eye goobers off to prevent er infections, they are so susceptible to them at that age

Yes that eye was infected and he is on antibiocs for it. It’s a bit better but it still doesn’t look 100% yet. And your not kiddin about the a lot of work. This is one kitten and I am exhausted. I could not imagine doing this with more than one

 

[Featheredfuffs]

Be SO careful! Bottle feeding is super hard, don't blame yourself if you lose him...

I wouldn't do goats milk, as it's so different from cat milk. A good rule is to never feed a predatory infant a prey milk... they need such different nutritional requirements. It's been used before, but I wouldn't be comfortable with it...

Maybe ask your vet about electrolytes? If he's having diarrhea, he's going to be dehydrated and not getting all of his nutrition (maybe why he's so small for his age?) Lactated Ringers or pedialite might help.

 

[HolliDaze]

I 've never hand fed kittens, but I've hand fed mice and rats. My kids preferred goats milk over kmr or rodent formula. I add Pedialyte to the milk if they become dehydrated. Mice usually only eat until their stomachs are full, so I'd assume kittens are the same way. With mice, you base your feedings off their apparent age, no their actual age..

 

[Fritzgerald16]

Yes that eye was infected and he is on antibiocs for it. It’s a bit better but it still doesn’t look 100% yet. And your not kiddin about the a lot of work. This is one kitten and I am exhausted. I could not imagine doing this with more than one

Oh yeah, we had a litter of kittens brought in cause the mama died of an infection 3 days after giving birth. I bottle fed all 8 kittens. They all survived but I spent 5-8 hours of my day feeding kittens luckily I was 16 and it was summer break and I worked at a vet clinic so I could take them with.
That was the largest litter, the others were 3-4 kittens and a few random single ones.
Keep up with whatever it will drink and keep up with the eye drops, wait an hour after giving them before you wipe the eye. The bacteria that causes it can keep growing in the boogies and re-infect the eye.
I had a wicker basket I carried kittens around in, that was very convenient

 

[FLmom]

Just a quick update on my little orphan. He is doing really well. Today was quite frustrating because he has just stopped sucking the bottle and won’t eat from a dish so I have to use a syringe to get anything in him. He is about 4 weeks now so I am hoping he will eat on his own very soon. Today was a disaster. Just when I thought we had it all going right he changed the game here is a cute pic of him yesterday after he was a very good boy and ate all his bottle.

 

[Emmilyy]

Awhhh he is the cutest thing

 

[zoo mom]

What a cute little thing.

 

[Animallover03]

My grandma has outdoor cats, and two litters were orphaned leaving a total of seven kittens behind. I helped out with nursing as much as I could, we weren't even sure if some of them would survive. We think they were about two weeks when they were orphaned. We got the kitten formula, and after a while added canned cat food to it, by putting it in a food processor and then mixing it with the milk. This only worked once you got them to eat off a spoon or out of a bowl though.

*Sad story ahead*
They were all pretty healthy, until a few of them got into the garbage pile and got botulism. They think it was because the momma cats milk protects them against these kinds of bacteria but they didn't really have that. They took them to the vet... tried everything... but since their back end was paralyzed from the botulism they couldn't go to the bathroom and it eventually built up. We lost three to that.. One survived.. But then they were so friendly that they ran up to cars.. and three of them passed this way. One of which my grandpa hit, and he said he just got out of his truck and held his favorite kitten for a few minutes, even though he had already passed.. Out of the seven, only one remains. Funny how fate works sometimes. I have to admit I cried while writing this
Rest In Peace, and Return If Possible; Tuxedo, Tiger, Lovebug, Purr-box, StinkBug, and Full Moon. I love you all and will never forget you.
I will be sure to give Half Moon (the one that survived) a big hug for all of you when I next see her.

 

[FLmom]

My grandma has outdoor cats, and two litters were orphaned leaving a total of seven kittens behind. I helped out with nursing as much as I could, we weren't even sure if some of them would survive. We think they were about two weeks when they were orphaned. We got the kitten formula, and after a while added canned cat food to it, by putting it in a food processor and then mixing it with the milk. This only worked once you got them to eat off a spoon or out of a bowl though.

*Sad story ahead*
They were all pretty healthy, until a few of them got into the garbage pile and got botulism. They think it was because the momma cats milk protects them against these kinds of bacteria but they didn't really have that. They took them to the vet... tried everything... but since their back end was paralyzed from the botulism they couldn't go to the bathroom and it eventually built up. We lost three to that.. One survived.. But then they were so friendly that they ran up to cars.. and three of them passed this way. One of which my grandpa hit, and he said he just got out of his truck and held his favorite kitten for a few minutes, even though he had already passed.. Out of the seven, only one remains. Funny how fate works sometimes. I have to admit I cried while writing this
Rest In Peace, and Return If Possible; Tuxedo, Tiger, Lovebug, Purr-box, StinkBug, and Full Moon. I love you all and will never forget you.
I will be sure to give Half Moon (the one that survived) a big hug for all of you when I next see her.

that is so sad I know that raising kittens this way is so unnatural for them and the chances are not the best but its gods sweet creature and was meant to be here for whatever reason so we just do the best we can and hope for the best. Some make it and thrive. others dont for various reasons but at least you know you did your part to try and give them the best chance they had.