How to Feed Orphaned Kittens Who Won't Eat

It's a sad fact of life that some kittens grow up without their mothers. Mother cats may be killed, injured or otherwise separated from and unable to care for their litters. If taken in by a good Samaritan and attended to properly, orphaned kittens can grow into healthy, well-adjusted adults. Orphaned kittens who won't eat pose a particular challenge to caregivers, who may be at a loss as to what the kitten needs or wants. Taking steps to minimize discomfort or attend to bodily needs can encourage a finicky orphaned kitten to get sustenance.

Things You'll Need

  • Hot water bottle
  • Kitten milk replacement formula
  • Pans
  • Water
  • Stove
  • Thermometer
  • Kitten nursing bottle
  • Eyedropper
  • Needleless syringe
  • Wash cloth
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Hold the kitten next to your body or next to a hot water bottle to share warmth. When a kitten is cold, its bodily functions slow down and it may be disinclined to eat. Under normal circumstances, kittens maintain an optimal body temperature between 100.5 and 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit by snuggling with their mother and litter-mates. Since orphaned kittens don't have the benefit of extra bodies to help keep them warm, you must provide extra warmth.

    • 2

      Warm the formula before offering it to the kitten. Kitten milk replacement supplement or homemade kitten formula acts as a substitute for the milk kittens normally receive from their mother. Place the formula in a pan. Place that pan into another pan filled with water. Heat the mixture on your stove-top until it reaches about 98 or 99 degrees Fahrenheit to simulate the temperature it would be coming out of a mother cat's teats.

    • 3

      Place the formula in an appropriately sized bottle. Commercially available kitten nursing bottles may be too large for newborn kittens. If an orphaned kitten is reluctant to nurse from a bottle, try placing the formula in an eyedropper or needleless syringe.

    • 4

      Burp the kitten. Newborn kittens cannot easily regulate their digestive system. If an orphaned kitten is unwilling to eat but is clearly hungry, it may need to be burped. Hold the kitten so its chest is against your chest. Tap the kitten gently on the back using two or three fingers.

    • 5

      Attend to the kitten's excretory needs. If the kitten needs to defecate, it may not be focused on eating. Newborn kittens cannot defecate without outside stimulation. Under normal circumstances, the kitten's mother licks around the kitten's anus to stimulate muscle contractions. Rub the orphaned kitten's anus using a warm, damp wash cloth to mimic this event.