3 week foster kittens struggling to latch

Allajoke

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Feb 24, 2021
Messages
9
Purraise
15
This is my second time dealing with bottle babies and I can already see how wildly different litters can be.
I got my newest group yesterday, a trio of 3 week olds who seemed to be picked up while the mother was away. They were in pretty good shape, so the momma was taking good care of them and I can see how formula would be a downgrade.
They don't seem to know how to latch or suckle properly. They chew on the bottle tip or pull their head away from the bottle and are generally pretty resistant to it. They always swallow at least a little bit, but never anything substantial.
I've tried just about every nipple tip in my collection with various hole sizes and nothing seems to entice them.
We were warned that they might not feed the first day, but I can't help but be a little worried since these are the smallest bunch I've had. If anyone has any tips or tricks for stubborn kittens it would be greatly appreciated!
20210223_202452.jpg
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

Allajoke

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Feb 24, 2021
Messages
9
Purraise
15

StefanZ

Advisor
Staff Member
Advisor
Joined
Sep 18, 2005
Messages
25,999
Purraise
10,648
Location
Sweden
Kittens whom had a momma, are often reluctant to bottle. So its often easier with a syringe...
 

Sarthur2

Cat lady extraordinaire
Staff Member
Advisor
Joined
Mar 8, 2015
Messages
35,987
Purraise
17,680
Location
Sunny Florida
How often are you feeding? They need as much as they want every 3-4 hours right now around the clock. They’ll be ready for soft food in a couple of weeks. :)

Also, what are their weights? At 3 weeks they should weigh about 12 ounces.
 

catsknowme

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 2, 2005
Messages
11,458
Purraise
6,679
Location
Eastern California,USA
I know that I am chiming in late but I just wanted to add that the formula should be 100°-102° F, which is the normal temperature for a mama kitty. Also, heat the milk either stove top or by immersing the bottle in a cup of warm water. To keep the formula warm, I wrap the bottles with a heated rice-or-cornmeal sock or in a cup of water on an electric mug warmer set low. Just as for human babies, NEVER warm the formula in the microwave because of the risk of hotspots. I would love to see updates as others who are visiting these pages can use the great information in the above posts from some of our finest kitten experts and know what worked for you/what didn't. And for the benefit for anyone wanting handy info, here's another great video designed for veterinary professionals while keeping the lay person in mind:

Orphaned Kitten Care How to
 
Top