How can i take care of newborn kittens when the mother isn't here

[Unreacheabledreams]

Hello everyone
My cat gave birth 15 days ago
She stays inside the house with her newborns, but we usually let her out once or twice a day. We don't want to keep her locked inside.
Anyway, she never took more than a couple of hours to come back and stay with her babies. Until yesterday. She left around 9:30 pm and never came back.
I think something happened to her.
And the kittens need their mother. I don't know how to take care of them. I'm lost. I know i should feed them cat formula or goat's milk, and that cow's milk isn't good for them, but due to the pandemic, stores weren't allowed to open yesterday, and I didn't have goat's milk, nor cat formula. I had to feed them cow's milk so that they wouldn't starve. I'm going to get them goat's milk today though as soon as i can.
I read that they need to be stimulated to urinate and poop. But they're not pooping. And this is getting me even more worried. I don't know what to do...
Please, if anyone could help me out by giving me tips on how to take care of these kittens properly, i would be grateful.
Thank you in advance

 

[cataholic07]

Hi you will have to bottle feed them every 2 hours, but yah its has to be KMR. Maybe try online, like amazon or chewy? Phone vets to see if they have? And if you girl comes back please keep her inside and get her spayed. Otherwise you will have litter after litter, and all this worry about if something happened to her or not. Fixed cats stay closer to home. Check out this website on tips how to help kittens, and hopefully mom comes back Kitten Lady

 

[Sarthur2]

Here is a helpful video for feeding:

Syringe Feeding — Kitten Lady

Get goats milk or formula ASAP and begin feeding as per the video instructions.

Your cat may have gone into heat and is out mating again. If she returns, do not let her out at all, and get her spayed as soon as the kittens wean. I do hope she returns.

In the meantime, good luck with the kittens and please keep us posted!

 

[Unreacheabledreams]

Thank you very much for your help
I watched videos you guys sent, and they were extremely helpful.
I thought she'd gone to mate again, but what i don't understand is why she'd leave her babies that long?
And she's still missing.
I have one more question if you don't mind me asking
How long can a kitten go without pooping? I tried to stimulate them, and they urinated, but they're not pooping. And i know it's probably because they're not used to anything other than their mother's milk. But should i worry if it's been 2 days already and they haven't pooped?

 

[Sarthur2]

It’s not uncommon for them to get constipated when switching to formula. Start adding 2-3 drops of olive oil to each feeding. This should get things moving.

Also, how much and how often are they eating?

 

[Unreacheabledreams]

Okay, i will do that
Thank you very much!
I'm feeding them every 2 to 3 hours

 

[StefanZ]

Okay, i will do that
Thank you very much!
I'm feeding them every 2 to 3 hours

Did you got something useful? Otherwise powder for human infants is OK, but dilute less (half that much).

In a pinch you can use pedialyte or sugar water, say white caro syrup with water, barely sweet. they wont thriwe on it, but will survive a couple of days.

 

[Unreacheabledreams]

I couldn't find any kitten formulas, so i got them goat's milk.
Their mother finally came this afternoon, thank goodness!
Thank you very much for your help

 

[StefanZ]

Count on she mated. So consider a spaying in a couple three weeks... Ie much earlier than the usual.

 

[Celticmum]

I couldn't find any kitten formulas, so i got them goat's milk.
Their mother finally came this afternoon, thank goodness!
Thank you very much for your help

I am so glad she came home