I need some help from the breeders that have tube fed kittens and then got them to drink from a bottle. I have a very stubborn kitten that will not take a bottle . . .
A bit of history: I have a litter of 4 that is now 4wks old. When they were approx 2 1/2 wks, my queen got sick and could not feed them any longer. So I stepped in to feed them. In the beginning none of them would take a bottle, so they were tube fed. 3 of them took to a bottle after approx 2 days. The 4th one . . . 1 1/2 wks later, still will not take a bottle and I am still tube feeding him. With every feeding, I offer him the bottle 1st, to see if he will take it, and each time, he refuses it.
Any suggestions on how to get him to drink from the bottle?? I have no problem tube feeding him, at least this way I know how much he is getting (expecially since he is quite smaller then the rest), but it would also be nice if I could get him on the bottle.
Any suggestions??
Valerie
A bit of history: I have a litter of 4 that is now 4wks old. When they were approx 2 1/2 wks, my queen got sick and could not feed them any longer. So I stepped in to feed them. In the beginning none of them would take a bottle, so they were tube fed. 3 of them took to a bottle after approx 2 days. The 4th one . . . 1 1/2 wks later, still will not take a bottle and I am still tube feeding him. With every feeding, I offer him the bottle 1st, to see if he will take it, and each time, he refuses it.
Any suggestions on how to get him to drink from the bottle?? I have no problem tube feeding him, at least this way I know how much he is getting (expecially since he is quite smaller then the rest), but it would also be nice if I could get him on the bottle.
Any suggestions??
Valerie