Needing help with bottle-feeding a kitten

[Shadowhills Farm]

A week from yesterday, DH and I went and got a cute kitten from some people who were giving away 2 litters. They told us the litters were a week apart, but the younger litter was 1/2 the size of the older litter. Also told us that they were eating dry and canned food and using the litter box on their own. Last Wednesday we acquired another kitten. This guy is 8 weeks old and a lot bigger in size compared to kitten #1.

Kitten #1 will never finish his dry or canned food like #2 does. We figured that he wasn't completely weaned, so we got a kitten bottle and some cat milk from Tractor Supply. Kitten #1 is CRAZY over it, and has been eating about 3 tablespoons per day (split up into 3 feedings) along with some dry or canned food.

My question is- how many times a day should I give the milk to Kitten #1? How much should he drink per feeding? I feel like I am doing something wrong and feeding him too much milk, but every time we fix the bottle for him he goes nuts! Kitten #2 can care less about the bottle.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Katy]

Quote:
If it's old enough to be eating kitten food it really doesn't need the bottle. If you want to provide a little of the milk for it I'd just pur a little over the dry kitten food. Make sure they have access to plenty of fresh water.....is there a chance it's more thirsty than hungry for the milk? I once raised a cat that I swear was addicted to the bottle.....I think he would have still liked to have his bottle when he was an adult!

 

[Shadowhills Farm]

Quote:
If it's old enough to be eating kitten food it really doesn't need the bottle. If you want to provide a little of the milk for it I'd just pur a little over the dry kitten food. Make sure they have access to plenty of fresh water.....is there a chance it's more thirsty than hungry for the milk? I once raised a cat that I swear was addicted to the bottle.....I think he would have still liked to have his bottle when he was an adult!

They have access to fresh water in two rooms. Kitten #1 does drink that well and so does Kitten #2.

Thanks for the help

 

[Lorije1]

Agreed that if it is able to eat cat food at all it doesn't really "need" the bottle.... you might make the canned food soupy by adding some of the formula and 'mushing' it all together. ALso soaking the dry food to soften it some.

 

[redhen]

You can soak the hard kitten food with the kitten milk replacer...
Or you can mix the wet kitten food with kitten milk replacer to make it thinner for them...

 

[tazcat70]

I bottle raised 2 kittens last year. I doubt that he "needs" the milk, but rather wants it. And that is ok. Did he eat better before the other kitten arrived? Maybe he is just wanting the companionship of you feeding him.

If you want to feed him milk, I would do it on the kitten food. This way it weans him. Maybe he had an abrupt weaning and needs that extra time.

Bottle feeding is very rewarding, but you have to be careful not to get it in their lungs. It is better if they do it themselves.

 

[ChickenRazz]

http://www.kittenrescue.org/pages.php?pageid=15

This website will give you tos of info. I've referred to it many times. Good luck with your kittens!

 

[Shadowhills Farm]

Quote:
He ate rather poorly before the other kitten arrived, so that's why we were concerned. He is still eating solid foods, but we are still supplementing some milk into his diet. He is doing better with the milk supplement in his diet. He has picked up his eating, but I think he is still small compared to the 8.5 week old Kitten #2. When Kitten #2 comes to eat, Kitten #1 follows him and wants to eat as well.

Thanks for the help