Help! Super fussy bottle babies

[lauraloulouie]

I'm fostering 2-week old kittens and I just CANNOT get them to take the bottle with any regularity. Sometimes they will latch right away and settle down, but most of the time they scrabble madly, try to climb onto the bottle, bite the nipple, cry loudly, etc. — basically, they do everything but suckle. I have tried everything I can think of and have read about — swaddling them, feeding them in their nest, stroking their heads, making a little tent over their heads with a blanket, gently covering the eyes with my finger... I have tried just about every nipple as well and we seem to have the most success with a miracle nipple, although even that is hit or miss. I have checked milk temp and the formula does not seem to be coming out too fast or too slow... I've tried feeding them smaller meals more frequently and I have tried stretching it out a little so they're hungrier... nothing works. They continue to be mad as hell every time I try to feed them.

They are gaining weight and otherwise in good health, so I seem to be getting enough formula in them in spite of this, but it's frustrating and I'm sitting with them for 45 minutes every time they need a feeding.

Any advice???

 

[Sarthur2]

Have you tried rolling up a bath towel, holding the bottle on top with the nipple tilted slightly downward, then letting the kitten suckle while kneading the towel with its paws as though it was its mother’s tummy?

I also think whatever you try needs to be done consistently at every feeding for a full day or more to allow time for the kittens to adapt to it.

Otherwise, you’ve mentioned everything I would suggest, so I think you’ll just have to live through this phase and try to relax and not let the frustration get to you.

Thanks for fostering! We’d love to see pictures.

 

[lauraloulouie]

I have But the tip on consistency is good, maybe I've been bouncing around too much and confusing them.

Despite the feeding issues they are the sweetest and cutest, they are part of a litter that was found tied up in a bag in the gutter so the fact that they're so healthy is wonderful.

 

[Furballsmom]

You're using a Miracle nipple...As I understand it, there are two sizes, if that helps?

 

[lauraloulouie]

You're using a Miracle nipple? As I understand it, there are two sizes, if that helps?

Yes, I have both. I think these guys might just be ornery

 

[Furballsmom]

lol, hang in there!!

 

[Sylvia Jones]

You are wonderful for helping them!!!! I hate to imagine the type of person that would tie them in a bag and put them in a gutter So amazing that they were found

 

[Furballsmom]

I just got to thinking, you might try something like a heartbeat toy or a purr toy, and see if that doesn't calm them a bit when you're feeding them.

 

[lauraloulouie]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! I went back to a syringe for a while and that seemed to help them get the hang of it. They now happily guzzle a bottle