Kittens Keep this open while you feed Draft · vet review pending

Bottle-feeding a kitten, step by step

For kittens under about 4 weeks old, you are now the mum. It's tiring and it's wonderful. Go slow, keep it warm, and let the kitten set the pace.

Time: 15–20 minutes per feed How often: see the table below

You'll need

Kitten milk replacer (powder or liquid) from a vet or pet shop. Never cow's milk.
A kitten feeding bottle with a small teat
A bowl of warm water to warm the bottle in
A soft cloth or cotton balls, and warm water
A kitchen scale that shows grams
A notebook, to write down every feed and weight

Every feed, in order

Check the kitten is warm.
Cold kittens can't digest. If it feels cool to touch, warm it up first, against a towel-wrapped warm bottle, before any milk.
Done
Mix the milk exactly as the tin says.
Make no more than a day's worth at a time and keep it in the fridge. Use the same brand every time unless your vet says otherwise.
Done
Warm the bottle in water, not the microwave.
Aim for body warm, about 35–38°C. Microwaves make hot spots. Swirl gently; don't shake, because bubbles give kittens tummy aches.
Done
Check the teat.
Turn the bottle upside down. One drop should fall on its own. A stream means it's too fast.
Done
Belly down, head slightly up.
Never on its back. Rest the kitten on its tummy on a towel, tilt the bottle at about 45 degrees, and put a drop of milk on its tongue first.
Done
Let it set the pace.
Never squeeze the bottle. Watch it swallow and let it pause. A full kitten turns its head away, gets sleepy, and has a gently rounded belly.
Done
Burp it.
Hold it upright against your shoulder, or belly down, and gently pat or rub its back.
Done
Help it pee and poo.
Young kittens can't go on their own. Gently rub the area under the tail with a warm, damp cloth or cotton ball, the way mum would lick. Pee every time; poo at least once a day.
Done
Write it down.
Time, how much it drank, pee and poo. Your vet will love you for this notebook.
Done

How often?

How much per feed depends on the kitten's weight and the milk brand, so follow the tin and ask your vet. How often depends on age:

Age	Feed about every
Newborn	2 hours, day and night
1 week	2–3 hours
2 weeks	3–4 hours
3 weeks	4–5 hours
4 weeks	5 hours, and start offering wet kitten food

Weak or small kittens may need feeding more often. Your vet will tell you.

Weigh it every day at the same time, before a feed. A healthy kitten gains about 10–15 grams a day. That number is your best friend.

Moving on to food

Around 4 to 5 weeks, kittens start chewing the teat and getting impatient. That's your sign. Offer wet kitten food mashed with a little milk replacer on a flat saucer, and slowly cut back on bottle feeds. Most kittens are fully on food by about 7 weeks.

Please don't

Use cow's milk, human baby formula, or a home-made recipe.
Feed it on its back, or squeeze the bottle. Milk can go into its lungs.
Reuse milk the kitten has already drunk from. Throw leftovers away.

Call a vet the same day if

Milk comes out of its nose, or it coughs or splutters while feeding
It's losing weight, or not gaining for a day or two
It has diarrhoea, or green or yellow poo
It hasn't pooed in a day or more
It won't latch or keeps refusing the bottle

Take your notebook with you.

Where this comes from

PetMD: bottle feeding a kitten, by Michael Kearley, DVM (milk, warming, position, burping, weight gain, warning signs)
PetMD: kitten development milestones, reviewed by Molly Price, DVM (feeding frequency by week, weaning)
ASPCA foster care guide (pee every time, poo at least once a day)

This guide is a draft and hasn't been checked by a vet yet. It's general information, not a diagnosis. Your vet's advice comes first.