Nutrition and nutritiontable.

Nutrition

Milk

When ever milk is mentioned on these pages, then always kitten milk replacement such as KMR is meant. This is used as nutrition until the kittens are able to eat independently, which will be case when they're four or five weeks old. Usually orphaned kittens are late eating by themselves, because they don't have a mother to teach them. This ought not to be any problem. When they get their bottle nutrition, you can determine how much food they get, and they'll stay clean. They'll start eating by themselves at a given time, it is not necessary to force them in any way. When there is no kitten milk replacement at hand, some fat milk can dot the trick, temporarily.

Oatmeal

To give some body to the milk when they are already eating independently

Porridge

Milk with some oatmeal added to it. From the fourth week on, give the kittens some porridge to get them used to eat by themselves. When they do that, change one daily feed into canned food mixed with porridge.

Biscuits

Suitable to crumble and mix it with the first canned food. Also suitable to give as emergency remedy when a kitten has diarrhea. Add some water.

Rice flour

If necessary this can be added to milk to give some thicker stool. It can be given during bottle feeding.

Canned food

When given at first mix this with some biscuits and water into a porridge. Use canned food suitable for kittens or use a product recommended by a veterinarian. Kittens can have trouble comprehending not all food can be sucked in. It is funny to see and hear them suck on a piece of meat. Sometimes a kitten can eat dry food sooner then canned food. From the age of six weeks a kitten is able to eat pure canned food. If the stool gets thinner, then add some biscuits to the food immediately.

Dry kitten food

Offer this kind of food when the kittens have reached the age of five weeks. It is better to wet the food a bit in the begin, it smells more then.

Cow's milk

Cow's milk is not fit to raise kittens with. There are products that are fit to do so. Ask your veterinarian for more information.

Change in nutrition

Every change in nutrition must be done carefully to prevent diarrhea. Change one of the daily feedings and don't change for three days or so. Always start with little quantities.

Quantity

It must be known exactly what quantity of nutrition a kitten gets each day. Measure the quantity of the nutrition before the feeding, or weigh the kittens before and after a feeding.

Problems

Usually all problems with nutrition are solved when a kitten starts to eat dry kitten food.

Refrigerator

Never give products directly from the refrigerator.

Nutrition pattern

This will be different for each litter. A good clue is the rest in the litter. When a little one is hungry, or not feeling good, it will be heard. Of course there are some guidelines. But it is not necessary to wake the kittens every three hours, like some books recommend. When they prefer to sleep for four hours, let them be. Exceptions to any rule are of course the sick and very weak kittens

Make the milk according to the guidelines the producer provides. Each feeding is best made fresh. Use warm water (never hotter then 57 degrees C). Often more then one mixture proportions are provided. Use the guidelines given for the mixture for the youngest kittens. Often later more powder is added to the water. However, when the kittens evolve well on the first given mixture, don't change the mixture proportions.

The first bottle

The first time a kitten is bottle fed, it won't comprehend at once what it is suppose to do. Keep the little one in one hand and the bottle in the other. Gently rub the nipple against it's lips and try to dip a drop into its mouth.

Most kittens will know what to do quite soon. If at the first feeding a kitten gets only two ml, it will be sufficient. Don't fill the bottle completely, a kitten will refuse to drink from it. If a kitten really doesn't want to drink, lay it back into the litter and try again, later. When it takes to long before a kitten wants to drink, one can use a pipet or a seringe without the needle. As long as the little one gets some food inside. When a suck reflex is noted, immediately change to the bottle again.

When milk is emitted from the nose, the hole in the nipple is to large, the kitten is drinking to hastily, or it has a split palate. In the last case, it is better to have the kitten euthanised. Kittens love milk. There is no harm in it to keep giving them this until they go to their new owners. A bowl with warm porridge before bedtime will be enjoyed also very much. It might help to get used to a new house when the new owner gives his kitten some milk.

Nutritiontabel for kittens

This nutritiontabel is a guideline. However, it is just a guideline, keep that in mind. Feed little portions the first days, 10% of the bodyweight is enough. Increase the portions when needed. Every litter will have other needs. When all goes well, you might try to take a pause of for instance six hours between two feeds during the nights. It will be good for you own rest. This is of course not possible when the kittens are very young or sick.

Mentioned in the nutritiontable:

Milk

Kitten milk replacement, NEVER cow's milk or cats milk

Porridge

Kitten milk replacement with oatmeal or rice flour.

Meat porridge

Canned kittenfood, biscuits and water grinded together.

Dry food

Dry food especially for kittens

Age:	Nutrition:	Feeding times per day	Daily portion:	Notes:
Until 1 wk	Milk	6 à 7	25 à 40 ml	2 ml is enough for a first feeding
Until 2 wk	Milk	5 à 6	30 à 70 ml	..
Until 3 wk	Milk	5	60 à 90 ml	When diarrhea, then add some rice flour
Until 4 wk	Milk Porridge	4 1	60 à 90 ml 30 ml	Try out this amount
Until 5 wk	Milk Porridge Meatporridge Dry food	1 3 1	30 ml 60 à 90 ml 1 dessertspoon Towards need	Change slowly, only change one feed at a time, then at least three days the same pattern.
Until 6 wk	Porridge Meatporridge Dry food	2 2	60 à 90 ml 2 Dessertspoons Towards need	Don't worry if a kitten still can't eat independently. Once, I could persuade a kitten to eat by itself with a small piece of fish.
From 6 wk	Porridge Canned food Dry food	1 2	45 ml 3 Dessertspoons Towards need	When diarrhea, then add some crumbled biscuits.