I found 3 abandoned kittens and started bottle feeding them. They are off the bottles now and have been eating a 2nd Stage formula out of a bowl for almost 2 weeks. They are ready for dry & canned kitten food, but I'm worried they still need some 'milk' and buying a new can of formula every week is getting expensive! Does anyone have any suggestions?
2007-10-27 01:51:28 · 15 answers · asked by TygerLily 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
Once kittens are weaned from their mother's milk, they do not need milk and can be fed a high-quality canned food. Cats cannot properly digest cows milk. (Nature designed cows milk for babies belonging to cows, not cats.) If they are under 6-7 weeks of age, you can give them kitten milk replacer (KMR or any other brand of canned "kitten milk").
They should have fresh water available at all times.
They do not need dry food. The three key negative issues associated with dry food are:
1) type of protein - too high in plant-based versus animal-based proteins
2) carbohydrate load is too high
3) water content is too low
I've attached several links on feline nutrition that you may find helpful.
2007-10-27 02:22:33 · answer #1 · answered by Cat 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A cat CANNOT handle cow's milk or goats milk in anyway shape or form. I have seen many cases where it was given to cats and kittens and they have gotten dehydrated and sick from it. It can cause vomiting as well. even canned milk is still bad for them since it still has the lactose in it. I recomend the powdered or canned pet formula that you find in the pet stores or I have even seen it at Wal-mart. But if they are old enough to eat then they don't need it. Kitten food has all the nutrients that they need. Just take the food that you are going to feed them ( recommend a good quality food like Iams or Purina) and let WARM water soften it up a bit. Mix it up and mash it a little then searve it to the kittens, and then little by little start to cut back the water until they are eating it with no water mixed in. They should also have clean water avalible at all times as well. Also your local vet can give you some advice as well about your questions.
2007-10-27 12:55:32 · answer #2 · answered by melissa 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The best thing for them is to wean them off the milk completely and onto a good quality kitten food. Start with the canned stuff. It may take a couple weeks to get them eatting it well. Until they are stick with the same stuff that you have been bottle feeding them. Cats don't always do well on 'normal' milk. Even as kittens many of them have problems digesting it.
2007-10-27 08:54:29 · answer #3 · answered by fluffy_aliens 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
They generally say Lactose found in milk is not good for cats. Apparently it gives them kidney stones, and some cats can be very lactose intolerant. I'm not sure if goats or cow milk have a difference in the quantity of lactose but you get lactose free or reduced milk seeing allot of humans are also lactose intolerant. I found my one cat abandoned in a park at Christmas when he was a +-2.5months old. The only thing he wanted for the first 2 weeks was milk. I began diluting his milk with half water so that he gets enough water in and to prevent the kidney stones. He is 9 years old now and still wants his milk. He will harass you the whole day till you give him his milk (diluted of course). He is still in good health even though he has been drinking milk for 9 years.
2007-10-27 09:23:50 · answer #4 · answered by Aceirill 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you can get the kittens to eat the kitten food, just water would be ok. The kitten food has the nutrients the kittens need and sometimes cows milk ect can cause the runs.
2007-10-27 08:56:12 · answer #5 · answered by scd 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
They don't need any milk. They are not getting any benefits from the milk as it isn't cats milk.
Feed can food and soft kitten food.
2007-10-27 09:24:19 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Once they start eating cat food and biscuits they will forget about milk and just drink water. it is not good to feed kittens normal milk of any kind.
2007-10-27 08:57:23 · answer #7 · answered by suzie Q 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They need NO milk. NONE. They need a GOOD quality canned and dry food. Wean off the canned aand to totally dry over the next month. They need FRESH water at all times.
Cats are lactose intolerant and get diarrhea from milk!!!!!
I can't believe that someone still thinks cats get worms from cow's milk. People drink it all the time and WE don't have worms!!!!
2007-10-27 08:55:45 · answer #8 · answered by ARE YOUR NEWFS GELLIN'? 7 · 2⤊ 3⤋
just take them off all the milk especially cows milk that's really bad for here stomachs and gives them diarrhea just give them water eventually that's all they will drink!
2007-10-27 10:39:53 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
no need to continue with milk, if they are able to eat canned kitten food, it is nutritionally complete. start to mix it in with the milk in a saucer, then gradually switch to just kitten food. by the time they are 6 wks, they can eat just dry kitten food. take them to a vet. also for future reference, the best case is to purchase kitten milk replacer. most pet stores will have it.
2007-10-27 08:57:50 · answer #10 · answered by tailjunkie 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋