baby cat wont breast feed its young, Help?

Question

My friend has a cat that just gave birth a few days ago, It refuses to breastfeed its baby, what should she do?

Answer 1

go to the local pet store and but some cat milk feed the babies with a medcine drop or a baby bottle

Answer 2

She needs to get formula from the pet store and syringe feed the kitten. If kittens go even a day without eating/drinking they can die. Have your friend go to the pet store and get some Kitten formula and feed the kittens per the directions on the label. Also pick up either a bottle or a needleless syringe and feed the kitten with that. Remember the kittens will die if they are not fed. Also there may be something wrong with the momma cat if she's not breast feeding, you should have your friend take her to the vet. She could have an infection in her mammory glands. Also please inform your friend that every year 4-5 million animals are killed in shelters because they don't have homes to go to. Please have your friend get her cat fixed.

Answer 3

If it's several days old then the baby is most likely at risk right now and should see a vet. The vet or pet store will have milk to bottle feed the baby. Some mothers will not feed.

Answer 4

You need to go to a local vet or petstore and get a kitten feeding kit and you will have to feed thekitten yourself. Unfortunately not all Momma cats are going to have the natural instincts. After you have gotten the kitten formula and bottle, you will need to feed the kitten every three hours (yes this means at night too) You will also need to learn how to stimulate it's bladder so it can deficate. This can be done by taking a warm wet cloth and rubbing it's rear. Also rubbing the tummy will help. Good Luck!

Answer 5

You're going to have to go to petsmart, petco, walmart or any petshop to purchase milk replacement and an animal infant feeding bottle which should be located in the same area of the store. You are going to have to feed them every two hours for about the first 3-4 weeks. (but right now all you need to worry about is getting them that milk replacement powder. Then when you are feeding them gently hold them by the scruff (the skin on the back of the neck) and while sitting, lean them back slightly and put the nipple in the kittens mouth and gently squeeze since the kitten cannot suck it out by itself (dont forget to cut an "X" shape in the top of the nipple for the milk to go through!).

Answer 6

It sounds like the mommy has rejected its baby, its sad but if the baby is underweight or defective, it happens.

Tell your friend to head over to the store, buy some formula (they have kitten formula, but its cheaper to buy a canister of baby formula) and a baby bottle or use a medicine dropper and its hand feeding time. Its a hassle, but you wind up building a really close bond with the kitten.

If you need more info, e-mail me @ [e-mail]

Answer 7

That's so terrible! Who would take kittens?? The mother cat will definitely notice her kittens are gone, and might go into a state of depression. (It can happen) Your cat will probably stop producing milk at the same time she would even if she was still breast feeding.

Answer 8

The mother might not have any milk or too young to know how to care for it.Your friend may have to bottle feed it.It may not survive.I had a newborn kitten that I bottle fed and it ended up with pneumonia and died.Its really hard to raise small animal babies but sometimes its successful

Answer 9

Get a doll's baby bottle and poke a hole in the nipple and use it to feed the kitten. Ask you Vet about the formula for it. And if none available use Carnation condensed milk. in the can.

Answer 10

I just got through raising a kitten by bottle, she is almost 6 weeks old now. First tip, use a insulin syringe to feed the kitten with at first, after it is about three weeks old, then you can start trying to use a bottle, they like a longer type nipple if you can find one. Use KITTEN formula, not milk for humans. You can buy kitten formula even at Wal-Mart it's called First Born. It's less expensive to buy a powder type and mix your own from it (also bought at Wal-mart) because they do eat alot and when they are little, you will waste some also, use a 1/2 teaspoon of the dried formula mixed with the amount of water stated to start out with so you don't waste as much. When you feed the kitten, do not lay it on it's back, hold it at an angle and slowly feed the formula a drop at a time, give the kitten time to swallow. When they are this young, I found it easiest to hold on to it wrapped in a small towel or wash rag. Later on, in a couple of weeks, when you introduce the bottle, the kitten will refuse it, you just have to keep trying and it will soon learn thats where it's food is coming from and start to suck on it, just have patience. You must rub it's private area to stimulate it to use the bathroom. This is a must for it to survive. Use a cotton ball, they are absorbant and soft. Then, after they use the bathroom, use a wet cotton ball to clean them with. You can also use a damp one to wipe around it's face so any milk that may have gotten on it's face will not dry, it's gets really hard when it's dried. Like glue and can prevent it from eating if it's really bad. So just keep this in check. I found the same thing happening when I bottle fed my puppy. Get a box that is twice the size of a heating pad, cover the heating pad with a small towel, to thick of a towel will block the heat from getting to the kitten. Also, keep the heating pad on low. Cover the rest of the box in clean, dry paper towels, if the kitten gets to hot, it will have a place to go to get away from the heat, remember though, heating pad on LOW. A good measuring "cup" I found to heat the milk in was a medicine cap, like the kind that comes with liquid medicine for people. A small kitten like this will only eat, maybe a teaspoon at a time and will gradually work up to more, I could put the formula in the cap and heat it in the microwave for just 2-3 seconds and it would be warm enough. You will have to experiment with yours to find the right time for the amount of milk you use. But don't expect it to eat ALOT at one time, they will eat smaller amounts more frequently, about every 2-3 hours. Yes, it's a full time job! Don't forget to burp them. I would hold mine up right in my hand and use my other hand to gently pat it's bottom area and she would burp for me that way. Also, if it's eyes are still closed, you may want to use a moist cotton ball to clean around their eyes daily and even after they are opened for a few days. Moma cats do alot of TLC that we are not aware of till you have to raise one. They are constantly cleaning the kittens, so use a wash cloth and rub the kitten all over, this will "simulate" the mother cleaning the kitten. They love it. Hope this helps. We decided to name our kitten Penny as in "our lucky Penny" because without me as her mom, she would have died. She's also an orange tabby which fits the "copper penny" color. Take care and good luck!