Were Bottle Feeding Guidelines Different In ‘08??

fromthevalley

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Okay so here’s the explanation. I’ve been bored and binge watching Animal Planet shows, including Animal Cops. In the one episode a mama kitten was rescued and gave birth. The mom was too weak so they had to bottle feed. They stated a few times they were feeding every four hours. NONE of the kittens made it. Now, it’s been a while since I’ve had bottle babies, but I could have sworn newborns got fed every two.
 

StefanZ

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On labels of KMR it is waay to seldom.
May be ok for an very healthy orphan, but not enough for a weak one.

Peculiar really, PetAg is a good brandmaker.
 

Kflowers

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I think every four hours was all they were willing to do. Remember in 2008 if they had terrified cats they were 'unadoptable' and pts. If they rescued pit bulls they were 'unadoptable' and pts. Special needs animals -- no way they could afford...'the kindest thing was to pts. Just keep that in mind as you're watching.

BTW it's been feed the kits every two hours since the 1940s, which was when the instruction book was published that I used in the 1970s.
 
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fromthevalley

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I think every four hours was all they were willing to do. Remember in 2008 if they had terrified cats they were 'unadoptable' and pts. If they rescued pit bulls they were 'unadoptable' and pts. Special needs animals -- no way they could afford...'the kindest thing was to pts. Just keep that in mind as you're watching.

BTW it's been feed the kits every two hours since the 1940s, which was when the instruction book was published that I used in the 1970s.
I read my KMR jar (I might have stopped bottle feeding but emergencies happen!) and it said every two hours so it wasn’t just me going crazy. It just breaks my heart.
 

Kflowers

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Please note that the Philadelphia humane society did everything they could in 2008 and now to re-home pit bulls, putting only the ones who were truly unsafe down. Detroit had a straight pts policy saying that they were bred and raised to fight and that was that. I don't know if that has changed. The same was true of Houston. The Phoenix HS is rather depressing to watch.
 

Willowy

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PTS means Put To Sleep. HS means Humane Society.

Which Animal Cops was it? If I remember correctly, New York was pretty good and Houston was OK. And maybe Phoenix wasn't too terrible? but the rest were horrible and just depressing. Honestly half of them shouldn't have been within 10 feet of an animal. I remember them saying stupid things like "this ball python will grow to be 15 feet long and is DANGEROUS!!!" and other extremely stupid things.
 
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fromthevalley

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PTS means Put To Sleep. HS means Humane Society.

Which Animal Cops was it? If I remember correctly, New York was pretty good and Houston was OK. And maybe Phoenix wasn't too terrible? but the rest were horrible and just depressing. Honestly half of them shouldn't have been within 10 feet of an animal. I remember them saying stupid things like "this ball python will grow to be 15 feet long and is DANGEROUS!!!" and other extremely stupid things.
It was Houston. I didn’t like it but I understood their fear of pit bulls, but not following simple directions on KMR and letting kittens die? If they didn’t want to take care of them/didn’t have the funds, they should have just humanely euthanised them instead of letting them suffer.
 

Willowy

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They might have believed wrong information and thought they were doing it right :dunno:. But you would think losing the kittens might have been a clue. . .
 
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fromthevalley

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They might have believed wrong information and thought they were doing it right :dunno:. But you would think losing the kittens might have been a clue. . .
I would have thought. Anytime my bottle babies so much as sneezed I freaked out - do that with my adults too.
 

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I read my KMR jar (I might have stopped bottle feeding but emergencies happen!) and it said every two hours so it wasn’t just me going crazy. It just breaks my heart.
Im happy they did changed. Or passible the labels are different in here and there - even if they shouldnt be...
This is taken today from online from PetAgs site, re KMR in powder:

"Directions for Feeding: All kittens should receive their mother’s milk for at least 2 days, if possible. The colostrum milk gives extra nutrition and temporary immunity against some diseases. Warm reconstituted KMR to room or body temperature before serving. Feed kittens 2 tablespoons (30mL) of liquid KMR per 4 oz. (115g) of body weight daily. The daily feeding amount should be divided into equal portions for each feeding. Kittens' needs will vary and this amount may have to be increased or decreased, depending on the individual. Young and/or weak kittens should be fed every 3 to 4 hours. Older kittens can do well being fed every 8 hours. Weigh the kittens daily to assure adequate feeding. Consult your veterinarian for additional advice. .
 
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fromthevalley

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Ah my directions are handwritten because the jar broke so I could have easily written it down wrong. P
 

kashmir64

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I have never read any book on it, so I couldn't tell you about 'official guidelines'. However, I have been bottle feeding orphans since around 1990 and have always fed and wiped every two hours until they were around 4 weeks, then upped it to every three to four (depending on the kitten's needs). After six weeks, I could then leave kitten chow out for them overnight and only have to give formula every 6 or so hours, along with wet food 3x's a day.
 
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fromthevalley

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Tx dear God you did write it wrongly! :)
Well I only saw the 3 (in the 3-4) so I assumed it was every 2-3 hours because that was what I had been doing with the kittens, upping it as they got older until they weaned. I always followed my vets advice over the jar when it came to bottle babies.
 
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