Q&A for How to Feed a Newborn Kitten

No, regular milk is liable to give newborn kittens diarrhea. This can cause the kittens to lose fluid so the milk will do more harm than good.

Keeping newborns warm is crucial—they should be about 85-90 degrees F. Any cooler than this and they can't digest their milk. Feed kitten milk replacer every couple of hours, and after each meal wipe their rear with damp cotton wool to help them urinate and defecate.

To meet their calorie needs, a newborn requires around 14-15 mL of kitten replacement milk per day. This should be divided up into small, regular feeds. For example, 8 feeds daily of just under 2 mL.

If the kittens are feeding well during the day, are growing, and seem content, then leave the nest alone. The mother will leave for short periods of time in order to find food for herself and go to the toilet. Before she goes, she'll most likely feed her kittens and settle them down for a long sleep. A nest full of warm sleepy kittens is just fine to leave alone. Signs of distress from the kittens include them crying, moving around a lot, or feeling cold to the touch. In this case, first make sure they are warm, and only consider feeding them if this doesn't work.

Newborn kittens rely on their mother licking their bottom in order to stimulate going to the toilet. If you haven't been wiping his rear with damp cotton wool after each feed, then he may well have a belly full of feces. Switch over to kitten replacement milk and start wiping his bottom. If the swelling does not subside, see a vet.

No, unfortunately it has the wrong balance of nutrients. In the short-term this is likely to cause diarrhea, leading to dehydration which could well prove fatal. In the long-term, even if the kitten didn't develop diarrhea, infant formula is incorrectly balanced and the kitten will develop nutritional deficiencies. Most vet clinics stock KMR, or failing that, order some from the internet and use one of the suggestions in this article as a stop gap.

A vet clinic is almost guaranteed to stock KMR, plus the bottles and tiny teats necessary to feed the kitten. If you have an emergency clinic nearby that is open 24/7, give them a call. Alternatively, contact a rescue shelter, who may be able to spare a small amount of KMR powder to make up whilst you source some from elsewhere. Many pet stores carry supplies necessary to raise a newborn, and failing that try the internet. If you have a pregnant cat it is a good idea to plan ahead and order some, just to be on the safe side.