whtsthfrequency
Posted : 5/5/2008 11:49:22 PM
Continue to bottle feed in addition to suckling - within the first week kittens need a LOT of nutrition - as much as they want every 2-3 hours. Some say it is better to underfeed than overfeed, and I agree with this once the kittens are past the initial high-danger period (first 2 weeks) but right now they should eat as much as they can. I have been bottle feeding a couple week olds for the past few weeks (they are almost 3.5 - 4 weeks now and I am just beginning to introduce them to wet food, which they have no interest in except playing and making messes - so I can commiserate!! :)
I'm not sure how much you know about neonates so I'm just going to ramble - sorry if I am preaching to the choir ;) !! I just have kittens on the brain right now because of the two I have.
Remember also that kittens that young CANNOT eliminate on their own. Usually the mother cat will lick their anogenital area to get them to go, so check and see if she is doing that. If not, you'll need to do it with a cotton ball or paper towl (preferable the latter, as the slightly rougher surface mimics the mother's tongue.
WARMTH is the third and most essential thing - these little guys cannot regulate their body temperature. A hot water bottle, heating pad, or heat lamp is needed.
Suckling can increase a mother's milk production, but it varies a lot from cat to cat and hormonal status. I would do formula AND let them nurse.