My 2wk Old Kitten Hates The Bottle How Do I Feed Him

NimbleKit

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Feb 19, 2019
Messages
1
Purraise
0
Hey! My kitten was dropped by our door on Valentine’s Day. I have been bottle feeding home for five days now but he will sometimes eat from it but push it out after a few seconds and will meow. After that he just won’t take it anymore. He cries and he cries and tries to suck on my hand. I try to give him the bottle again but he hates it. What do I do?!
 

Furballsmom

Cat Devotee
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Jan 9, 2018
Messages
39,270
Purraise
53,927
Location
Colorado US
Hi! Can you utilize the corner of a clean cloth, or even unused little make-up sponges?
Also, try rubbing some honey on his gums.

Maybe this will help;

Kitten-Rescue.com

Be sure to keep him warm either with a heating pad set on low with a couple towels over it, or fill a couple of socks part way with dry rice and heat those - test them on your own skin to ensure they aren't too hot, and you'll have to maintain the heat in the socks after they cool off.
 

StefanZ

Advisor
Staff Member
Advisor
Joined
Sep 18, 2005
Messages
25,995
Purraise
10,642
Location
Sweden
Kittens whom had momma - as he surely did, are often reluctant to bottle. In these cases you must often try some other way. Most rescuers use a needleless syringe. More difficult for a newbe, but in some other ways easier. Also easier for weak sucklers...
So, tummy down, head a little up. corner of the mouth, slowly dropwise so he manage to swallow before you give next drop. After he and you got the hang of it, it will go quicker. Some kittens even suckle from the syringe...

Dropper is the same idea, and most people have a dropper at home.

You can also try such a small sponge as mentioned earlier. An idea which come forward here on this forum a couple of years ago, and does works nicely for some.

The total amount is 8 ml / 30 grammes, so a kitten of say 200 grammes will need about 60 ml goats milk or kmr, given during the day - usually about every second hour. If the kitten is healthy you can sleep some more in the night... :) A very weak kitten may need down to every hour.
 

abyeb

Charlie's Purrson
Veteran
Joined
Feb 18, 2017
Messages
7,565
Purraise
9,599
I agree that a needleless syringe sounds like the way to go. Your kitten might be too weak to bite on the bottle. What are you feeding him? You should give him KMR or goat’s milk. Cow’s milk or “cat sip” milk won’t work. Also, be sure that you’re weighing him every day, to make sure that he’s gaining weight. I think around 10g of gain per day would be a good goal.

Here are some helpful articles: Hand Rearing Kittens: What You Need To Know To Save A Newborn's Life

Weighing Newborn Kittens (and How This Could Save Their Lives)
 
Top