What do 3 week old kittens eat

A 3-week old kitten is a sight to behold.  They are a cute bundle of fur, with distinctive lanky limbs and a round potbelly.  Their insistent mewling is a signature of this developmental period, as they learn to communicate and explore the world around them.  

Table of Contents

• Kitten Formula And Nutritional Density
• Feeding

At 3 weeks old kittens are completely mobile and will spend much of their time exploring the world around them. When they aren’t exploring, they will probably be eating or sleeping.  Their growth and development place an enormous caloric burden on them. Your kitten will need to be fed well at this time to keep up with the demands of his body.

3 weeks is also the time when kittens begin to transition to solid food, making it incredibly important for them to be transitioned to a food source that provides adequate nutrition to support their continued growth. During the first few weeks of life, kittens need proper nourishment, warmth, socialization and help with urinating and defecating. Don’t give regular cow’s milk to kittens because it doesn’t contain the protein and nutrients that kittens need and it can give them (and adult cats) diarrhea.

Kitten Formula And Nutritional Density

3 weeks marks the point that your kitten is beginning to be transitioned to solid food.  In most cases, this means that you are beginning to incorporate increasing amounts of kitten food into his diet to supplement milk from his mother or an artificial source.  First, understand that kittens need to be fed different food from adult cats. Kitten formula food adheres to a much more stringent nutritional profile than standard adult cat food.  This is because kittens, when adjusted for body weight, require roughly twice the amount of calories that an adult cat does. In order to meet this caloric demand, and provide the vitamins and minerals necessary to promote proper development, kitten food is formulated using more nutrient dense food sources.

Feeding

Kittens need two to three times as many calories as an adult cat. A mother cat’s milk provides all of a kitten’s nutritional needs during the first 4 weeks of life. Newborn kittens may nurse every 1 to 2 hours. Kittens should be fed while on all four legs or lying upright on their stomachs (the same position for nursing from the mother). If kittens are bottle fed, they must be burped by holding them to your shoulder and gently rubbing their backs. Be careful not to overfeed or underfeed kittens. For the first 3 weeks of life, orphaned kittens are usually bottle fed with kitten formula milk replacer every 2 to 4 hours. When kittens are 3 to 4 weeks of age, feed them a kitten milk replacer mixed with small amounts of moist, easily chewable, commercial kitten food four to six times each day. You can warm the milk replacer and mix it with some “mashed” kitten food in a shallow saucer. During this period, milk replacer should gradually be decreased and replaced with free access to clean water.

Never feed kittens when they’re on their backs as that could lead to aspiration. When you feed a kitten, put him on his belly and raise his chin. Take the nurser and massage its nipple over his gums and lips until he tastes the milk replacer. Point the bottle upward to ensure that he doesn’t draw in any air. Confirm that the kitten is suckling by assessing how much formula remains inside of the nurser. Kittens generally cease suckling once they’ve had sufficient formula. Kittens at 3 weeks old need bottle feeding sessions in intervals of four to five hours, and overnight is no exception. Don’t use goat’s milk or cow’s milk to feed kittens. If milk from a lactating cat isn’t available, commercial kitten milk replacer is the way to go. Goat’s milk and cow’s milk don’t have the required levels of protein, fat and calories that young kittens need to grow and thrive. These types of milk can also upset their stomachs and bring on diarrhea . This is because of their significant lactose levels.

Place the kittens in a separate area away from their mother with their own litter box, food and water bowls for one to two hours several times a day. The time away provides incentive to seek alternatives to their mother’s milk and decreases general dependency on the mother. Fill the kittens’ food bowl with kitten-milk replacement. Dip your finger into the milk and then let the kittens lick it off before slowly moving your finger toward the bowl. Make sure that the bowl is shallow enough for the kittens to reach. Prepare to continue bottle-feeding kittens that have been bottle-fed, but always offer the bowl first. Be patient as the kittens learn to open their mouths and chew the food. Things may get messy as they initially walk into their food bowls or try to nurse on the food.

Never feed cow, goat or soy milk. They lack adequate nutrition and can cause diarrhea, which can be life-threatening. In a pinch, make homemade kitten formula by mixing a can of condensed milk, an egg yolk minus the white and a tablespoon of Karo syrup. Combine with the equivalent amount of water before feeding. Ideally, you should visit your local pet store to purchase commercial kitten formula, either Just Born or KMR brand. Heat formula to 90 or 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a microwave or place the bottle in hot water until it reaches the desired temperature. Check with a thermometer or your wrist. The milk should feel room temperature on your skin. Never boil the formula or allow it to get too hot.

While commercial kitten and puppy milk replacer is readily available, that’s not true of rabbit milk. Rabbit’s milk is very high in protein. The University of Florida Extension recommends a bunny milk replacement formula consisting of 2 cups of 2 percent milk, 2 egg yolks, 2 tablespoons powdered milk, 2 tablespoons corn syrup and 1 teaspoon bone meal. After mixing the ingredients thoroughly, place them in the refrigerator. Take out only what you need for each feeding, generally about 1/4 cup. Before feeding, heat the formula to 90 degrees F. Use a thermometer to ensure the correct temperature — higher temperatures can burn the babies’ gastrointestinal systems. Feed the babies morning and evening, placing the formula in an eyedropper for those under 2 weeks and a bottle for older kits. Holding the baby upright, feed him only as much as he will consume. If he squeezes his lips together, that means he still wants to suck and eat.

Kittens under 4 weeks of age cannot eat solid food, whether it’s dry or canned. They can drink their mother’s milk to get the nutrients they need. The kitten will rely on you to survive if their mother isn’t around.You can feed your newborn kitten a nutritional substitute that’s called kitten milk replacer. It’s essential that you avoid feeding a kitten same milk that humans consume. Typical cow’s milk can make cats very sick. If you’re unsure of which kitten milk replacer to choose, talk to a veterinarian. They can help you select the right one.For many dry milk replacers, refrigeration is not always required. But if extra milk is prepared, it should be stored in the fridge. To feed your kitten, follow these steps:

Prepare the formula. Warm the kitten formula to slightly above room temperature. Test the temperature of the formula right before you feed your kitten. Do this by placing a few drops of the formula on your wrist to ensure it’s not too hot.

Keep things clean. Before and after each feeding, you should wash your hands and the bottle that you used to feed your kitten. It’s also recommended that you use a “kitten gown.” This could be a robe or a shirt that you only wear when you’re handling or feeding your kitten. Using a kitten gown helps reduce the possibility of spreading germs.

Feed them gently. Handle your kitten with care. The kitten should be on their stomach lying next to you. This would be the same way they would nurse from their mom. Try holding your kitten in a warm towel while they sit on your lap. Find a position that feels comfortable for both of you.

Let them take the lead. Hold the bottle of formula to your kitten’s mouth. Let the kitten suckle at their own pace. If the kitten doesn’t eat right away, gently stroke their forehead. The stroking stimulates how their mother would clean them and it encourages the kitten to eat. Kittens need to eat every 3 hours, no matter what time it is. Many people set an alarm so that they don’t miss a feeding. This is especially helpful overnight. It’s important that you feed your kitten regularly. Skipping feedings or overfeeding can cause your kitten to have diarrhea or develop severe dehydration.

Burp them. Kittens need to be burped the same that way babies do after feeding. Lay your kitten down on their stomach and gently pat their back until you hear a little burp. You may need to do this a few times throughout each feeding.

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