Kitten not nursing: Can a surrogate mother or bottle feeding help?

Some kittens don't make it no matter what we do to help them out, and some cats are just not cut out to be moms. There is also the possibility that there is a congenital internal defect. If the kitten is very weak and won't suckle from the nipple or a bottle, you can try to slowly syringe the kitten milk replacer, but there is an increased risk of it going into his lungs and causing aspiration pneumonia. If this doesn't work, you should take the kitten to get checked out by a vet. The vet can show you how to safely tube feed the kitten to get its proper nutrition. Make sure that the kitten is staying warm and clean, and that you are stimulating urination and bowel movements. Here is a good article on raising orphan kittens: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=576

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Be sure that Liona is actually producing milk before putting the kittens with her. If she isn't making milk then you need to bottle feed the kittens every 2-3 hours with kitten milk replacer. Once she gives birth you can try to put the kittens on her. Just be sure they aren't pushing her kittens off. Track the weights of her kittens to be sure they are getting enough. I wish you the best!

I recommend using a bottle with a small nipple - you can find kits for newborns at most pet supply stores. A commercial milk replacer like KMR is best, and you should feed the kitten every 2-3 hours. The kitten should be taking about 25 ml of milk per day and you should offer the bottle with the kitten laying on its stomach, not held on its back like a baby. You will also need to stimulate the kitten to urinate and defecate after eating by rubbing a warm washcloth on the genital and anal openings - neonatal kittens cannot urinate or defecate on their own. If the kitten is not interested in the bottle you may need to tube feed and should see your veterinarian for a demonstration.

Unfortunately the babies are still young so if mom will not feed them then they will depend on you. The best food is KMR (kitten milk replacer). You should be able to find it online. You can also purchase a nurser bottle. If mom is also not keeping them clean or stimulating urination/defecation this is important as well. I have attached an extensive link that gives a lot of helpful information about raising orphan kittens. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petcoach! www.google.com/amp/s/mobile.petcoach.co/amp/article/how-to-raise-orphan-kittens

Hi John! I would be afraid ti could die overnight as newborn kittens are extremely fragile and cannot last long without feeding. You can try to get him to feed. Rub a nipple near his mouth or at the side of his face. This should stimulate him to open his mouth, which will allow you to gently put the nipple inside. Once he feels the nipple on his tongue, that should stimulate his natural sucking reaction. If this doesn't work, then yes you will have to bottle feed him. He will need a kitten formula and a bottle, which you can get from a grocery store. If the grocery isn't open all night, there is an emergency formula recipe you can give him to hopefully get him through the night. I will include a link to a website below that details how to bottle feed a kitten and that has the recipe. The emergency formula recipe is found under the section "bottle feeding." Best of luck! https://www.2ndchance.info/orphankitten.htm

Yes she can still nurse the kittens, if she still has milk. Sometimes a queen can also restart making milk. This is great as she will take care of them emotionally, hygienically and teach them everything they need to know, especially if you do not take them away before they are 12 weeks old. If she does not have milk (the kittens will get grouchy and whine ) you will need to feed them with kitten formula. You can find out their age by weighing them. For each week of age they are 3.5 oz , so if they are three weeks old they would weigh about 10.5 oz. If you are not sure that mama has milk, take her to your vet who can check that for you. Thank you for taking in those kittens.

I would not recommend transferring kittens over and back between mothers. I recommend a full health check by your vet to assess your own cat to determine if there is any medical reason such as an infection which is reducing her ability to make milk. If this is not reversible then transferring them to the other cat to foster until weaned is a possibility but not all mothers will take to new kittens and she may reject or attack them in which case you would need to bottle feed them.