Bottle Feeding a Kitten Blog about Pet Animals

If you find an abandoned newborn kitten or one that is only a few weeks old the first thing to do is to bring them inside and get them warm. Whilst your kitten is warming up you can prepare something for them to eat.

To feed the kitten you can use a bottle specifically made for a nursing pet. You can usually find them in pet shops. If you don't have that available you can use a syringe, eye dropper or even a doll's baby bottle. If you are using a bottle it is important to get the right size of hole in the nipple. When you turn the bottle upside down the formula should slowly drip from the bottle.

You can get formula specifically designed for kittens at your local pet store. You should make it according to the directions on the label. If the kitten you rescued was cold or wet you should only give them children's Pedialyte for the first few hours until they warm up and then switch to kitten formula. You should dilute the Pedialyte half and half with water.You should warm the formula but make sure it is not too hot. You can take the bottle top off and put it in the microwave for a few seconds. You can also immerse the bottle in a cup of hot water. Make sure you shake the formula well after warming. Then you should check the temperature to make sure it is not too hot.

Place the kitten on a soft blanket or towel on its tummy. Then you should gently place the nipple in their mouth. You will want to tilt the bottle slightly to make sure the kitten's milk is in the nipple. The kitten should start sucking automatically. You should feed them until they are full, but not until their stomach is distended and tight. Usually when they are full they will spit out the nipple. Just like human babies, kittens have to be burped. Gently hold them on your lap or chest and pat them softly until they burp. They will have to be fed every three to four hours.

Taking care of a small helpless baby kitten is a lot of work. It's like having a new born child in your home. They will depend on you for everything for the first couple of weeks. It is worth it in the end because you will end up having a loving and loyal feline friend for a lifetime. Don't forget about cat insurance just in case they have an accident or on going illness.